Farooq Abdullah, veteran leader from Jammu and Kashmir said that his party would boycott the general and the state elections if the centre does not clarify its stance on the controversial Article 35 A. His threat comes three days after the National Conference declared that it wont contest the upcoming local body elections in Jammu and Kashmir concerning Article 35-A, a provision of the constitution that defines the “permanent residents” of the state.
Abdullah stated, “We will not only boycott Panchayat elections but also Lok Sabha and assembly elections if the centre doesn’t clear its stand on Article 35-A and Article 370”.
Article 35-A that prohibits the outsiders from owning property in Jammu and Kashmir, has been challenged in the apex court. Last week, Supreme Court postponed the hearing to January after the state authorities quoted possible law and order problems in conducting Panchayat and municipal elections.
The state administration has announced plans to hold municipal elections from October 1 and Panchayat elections from November.
People’s Democratic Party(PDP) led by Mehbooba Mufti the other major party in Jammu and Kashmir that ruled the state till recently with the BJP, has also conveyed its reservations about the local body polls.
Farooq Abdullah, earlier this week, said that the decision to hold elections was taken in a hasty fashion without considering the prevailing situation created by the powers that are “unnecessarily fiddling” with Article 35-A.
Blazing guns at the centre, Mr Abdullah remarked the role of the central government and the present dispensation in Jammu and Kashmir before the Supreme Court goes clearly against the wishes and objectives of the people of the state.
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