J&K, Ladakh separation on Oct 31 shameful, says CPI(M)

1111Describing the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories as "shameful day for Indian democracy", the CPI(M) on Wednesday said the choice of the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhai Patel for the exercise showed that that the Narendra Modi government is putting in place the "Amit Shah formula of manufacturing history and eliminating the truth".

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The party said it is strongly opposed to the scrapping of special status to the state as well as its bifurcation into two union territories of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh on Thursday.

The party said even after over two-and-half months of the legislations being pushed through parliament, Kashmiris are "denied their democratic rights".

"No political activity is allowed except by the BJP and its organisations. The voice of Kashmir has been forcibly suppressed. The main leaders of recognised political parties and many others are still in jail. The lockdown and shut down continues," it said.

Describing the bifurcation as a "shameful day for India’s democracy that a state should be divided and deprived of its status as a full-fledged state without any reference to the opinion" of the people of the state or its Assembly, it said this was is in "blatant violation" of Article 3 of the Constitution (the President shall take the state assembly's consideration before changing its boundary) and there was "nothing to celebrate" on this day for those who uphold constitutional values including the federal structure of the country.

"By choosing this date the Government is putting in place the Amit Shah formula of manufacturing history and eliminating the truth. It is a matter of record including from the memoirs of Vallabhbhai Patel that he was not only a party to, but also involved in the drafting of Article 370," the party said in a statement.

The CPI(M) said it was at Patel's residence that on 15 and 16 May 15, 1949, that the discussions on the special status for Jammu and Kashmir were held between him, Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah. Subsequently, it was Patel along with Gopalaswamy Ayyangar who formulated the draft which finally became Article 370. It was again Patel in the absence of Nehru who was in the US, who piloted Article 370 in the Constituent Assembly, it added.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier this month said there was a need to rewrite history from India's perspective and that had it not been for V D Savarkar, the 1857 War of Independence would have been regarded as just a mutiny as described by the Britishers.

The CPI(M) appealed to people to express their solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh against the denial of constitutional and democratic rights for them and reject the Modi Government’s "false propaganda".