Attempt to fiddle with Article 35A would undermine basic structure of Constitution: Mehbooba Mufti

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said the debate over Article 35A, which provides special rights to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, managed to bridge the gap between people of the two regions. 

Mehbooba Mufti said all sections of the society in J&K including mainstream parties and separatists are of the view that the sanctity of Article 35A must be preserved. 

"One of the main purposes of the PDP - BJP alliance was to bridge the growing gap between the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Surprisingly, it is the debate surrounding the danger of scrapping article 35A that has made the impossible possible," she said in a tweet. "Be it Jammu or Srinagar, mainstream parties and separatists, there has been a consensus on preserving the sanctity of Article 35A," she added. 

Earlier, in a series of tweets, Mufti said Kashmiris rejected the two-nation theory and chose to live in secular India. "Kashmiris are often blamed for alienating themselves from rest of the country. But it is actually the dynamics of power politics which has made it difficult for the Centre to reconcile with the special status that J&K has held for more than 70 years," the former chief minister tweeted. 

On Sunday, Kashmir had observed an unprecedented shutdown against any tampering with the legislation that guarantees special constitutional rights to the people of the state. The shutdown call was given by separatists to protest against petitions seeking scrapping of Article 35-A.