Time will tell if peace prevails in Jammu & Kashmir, says MP CM Kamal Nath on Article 370

PTI, Aug 8, 2019, 5:01 PM IST

Mumbai: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Thursday said only time will tell whether the Modi government’s move of scrapping of Article 370 will establish peace and bring down terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the inauguration of the Madhya Pradesh government’s guest house named ‘Madhyalok’ at Vashi in neighboring Navi Mumbai.

“Only time will tell how many employment opportunities are generated and whether acts of terrorism come down in Jammu and Kashmir after the removal of Article 370…that is the biggest question before us,” he said.

When asked about party colleague Jyotiraditya Scindia coming out in support of the Modi government’s move on Article 370, Nath said, “He (Scindia) is with the Congress Working Committee’s proposal on the issue and will finally support the party’s resolution on it.”

Parliament on Tuesday approved a resolution abrogating special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution and a bill for splitting the state into two union territories.

The Congress strongly opposed the move and the bill. However, a number of Congress leaders across the country went against the party’s stand in Parliament on the issue. Apart from Scindia, senior Congress leaders Janardan Dwivedi and Deepender Hooda voiced their support to the move.

Coming out in support of the Modi government on the issue, Scindia had tweeted on Wednesday, “I support the move on Jammu And Kashmir & Ladakh and its full integration into union of India.

Would have been better if constitutional process had been followed. No questions could have been raised then. Nevertheless, this is in our country’s interest and I support this.”

The Congress has convened on Friday a meeting of all its general secretaries, in-charge of states, and state party unit chiefs to discuss the issue in detail.