Keep in abeyance Govt’s decision on J-K: DMK to Prez

Opposing the Union Government’s move to scrap Article 370 of the Constitution that allowed special powers to Jammu and Kashmir, DMK on Monday demanded that President Ram Nath Kovind keeps in “abeyance” the order that abrogates the special provision and bifurcation of the sensitive border state till assembly elections are held.

In a strongly-worded statement, DMK President M K Stalin said the BJP’s decisions announced on Monday show how the party was hell-bent on deviating from the path laid out in the Constitution at a time when there are vociferous demands that the democratically-elected state governments should be conferred with more powers.

Stalin, whose party opposed the resolutions brought by Home Minister Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha, said the DMK had always opposed abrogation of Article 370 and accused the BJP of trying to divert the attention of the people from pressing issues like unemployment and sinking of the economy through the latest move on Jammu and Kashmir.

“The DMK demands that the BJP should take back any move that would put the Indian Constitution in peril and asks the President of India to keep in abeyance the decisions relating to Jammu and Kashmir till the assembly elections are held to the state,” Stalin said in the statement.

Later, speaking to reporters, Stalin condemned the ruling AIADMK that supported the government’s decisions in Rajya Sabha. “It is better to rename AIADMK as All India BJP,” he said mocking the Tamil Nadu’s ruling party.

He also condemned the manner in which the BJP proceeded with abrogating Article 370 by placing under house arrest leaders of mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir. Stalin also wondered whether the BJP kept its interests or national interests above while bringing the resolution in Parliament abrogating Article 370.

“Equating an elected Chief Minister with an appointed Governor is wrong. We cannot say that a governor can understand the problems of the people like a chief minister. I would also like to convey that the decisions will do no good to federalism or to the basic tenants of Constitution since it has been done without even taking the stakeholders into confidence,” Stalin said in his statement.