All you need to know about Digvijaya Singh's Article 370 revocation row

BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra accused Singh of staging the question put by the Pakistani journalist

Finding himself in the middle of a controversy, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh set off a fresh row over Article 370 that started over his controversial remark on the Centre’s decision of revoking Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh had allegedly said that the Centre’s decision of abrogating Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir “was an extremely sad decision” in a conversation with a journalist from Pakistan on Clubhouse.

The audiotape of Singh’s discussion was shared by BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya on Twitter.

What was the controversial statement made by Singh?

In the audiotape, Singh is heard saying, "Democracy was not there in Kashmir when they (central government) revoked Article 370. Insaniyat (humanity) was not there because they put everyone behind bars. And Kashmiriyat is something which is basically the fundamental of secularism because in a Muslim-majority state, there was a Hindu raja (king) and both worked together. In fact, the reservation in Kashmir was given to Kashmiri Pandits in government services.”

“Therefore the decision of revoking Article 370 and reducing the statehood of J&K is extremely, I would say, sad decision and the Congress party would certainly have to take a relook at this issue,” he added.

How did BJP react?

Soon after the audiotape was released, BJP leaders took over social media to share their opinion of the Congress leader’s controversial statement.

In a tweet, Union Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that Congress leaders should accept the abrogation of Article 370, and added, "Instead of instigating our Kashmiri brethren, Sh Digvijay Singh must take a lesson in nationalism from average Kashmiris.”

BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra accused Singh of staging the question put by the journalist for "spewing venom against India outside".

In a press conference, he said, "In the Clubhouse, a Pakistani journalist asks this question that after the removal of Narendra Modi, how will India's power, what will be the Kashmir policy. Digvijaya Ji thanks that journalist on such a question and says that if Modi Ji is removed from power and the Congress government comes then he will re-establish Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. It is quite possible that what Digvijaya Singh has said today must have been the stage manager for that. Digvijaya Singh or a senior Congress leader must have asked that journalist to ask such a question.”

What did Singh say to BJP’s reaction?

In a conversation with India Today, Digvijaya Singh clarified his statement upon the reactions of BJP leaders.

He told, "Maybe a few leaders do not understand the difference between 'shall' and 'consider'. Congress party had opposed the abrogation of Article 370 in the Parliament and the manner in which it was removed. People of the region were not made a part of the decision."

What is Article 370?

The Centre took the decision to abrogate Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Under Article 370 of the Indian constitution, Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed a special status from 1954 to 31 October 2019. It allowed the erstwhile state to have its separate constitution and state flag, along with autonomy over the internal affairs of the state.

The state was bifurcated into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.