As the hearing against revocation of Article 370 continued in the Supreme Court, prominent Jammu and Kashmir leaders, who have opposed the Centre’s move, reached the apex court on Wednesday to listen to the arguments in the case.
While talking to reporters outside the SC, Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said that it was the “Idea of India” which was on trial. People’s Conference president Sajjad Gani Lone said that the trial was more about the sanctity of the promises made by Parliament than about Article 370 or J&K.
Mufti said that she has come for the first time to the SC.
“The trial of Article 370 is an emotional issue for us, not just legal. Finally, it is being heard. We are grateful to the esteemed lawyers who have given voice to the voiceless people of J&K. The people have been threatened into silence through coercive measures if they talk against the revocation of the Article 370 in the past four years,” she said.
She accused BJP of subverting Indian Constitution by bringing a law through brute majority.
“Today, our special status is not on trial, it is the idea of India on the basis of which J&K joined India, that is on trial,” she said.
The SC is hearing petitions challenging the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which took away the special status of J&K and split the erstwhile state into two Union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. A five-judge constitution bench including Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud is hearing the petitions against the revocation.
Lone said that he was hopeful and had full faith in the judiciary. “Our case is very strong. We are hopeful of getting justice here. It is an ongoing process. Earlier also the lawyers pleaded very well,” he said.
He said that the question will rise across India as to whether the governor is bigger than the people of a state. “Is Parliament’s vote that big to send a governor to a state and sideline the people there and sign on their behalf? Every state will ask this,” he said.
BJP leader and former deputy CM Kavinder Gupta said, “It was the correct process and was passed with majority in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Nobody can challenge that.”
“Due to Article 370, their shops were running and that is why corruption, terrorism and separatism have spread,” he alleged.
