Parties in Kashmir Welcome Indian Supreme Court Session on Autonomy

Srinagar, MINA – Political parties in Kashmir welcome the upcoming July 11 Indian Supreme Court hearing on autonomy in the Jammu and Kashmir region. Anadolu Agency reported on Tuesday.

India’s Supreme Court will hear a petition on July 11 challenging the Indian government’s decision of August 5, 2019, to overturn a constitutional provision that granted the Muslim-majority region of Jammu and Kashmir autonomous status within the Indian union.

On 5 August 2019, India’s central government repealed Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which allowed Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) to have its own constitution, flag and legislature assembly that could draft its own laws.

Another law that was overturned on August 5, 2019 was Section 35A, which allows J&K to determine its residents and prohibits outsiders from buying property or taking government jobs.

Jammu and Kashmir was also deposed from a single state and divided into two centrally administered Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, drawing sharp reactions from Pakistan, which claims the territory in full, and China which claims parts of Ladakh.

Collectively, several individuals, groups and political parties filed nearly 20 petitions to the supreme court, calling the decisions of India’s central government illegal and unconstitutional.

Suhail Bhukari, spokesman for the People’s Democratic Party, which was the last regional party to share power with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) before the abolition of Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy, said the matter should have been heard sooner.

“Still, better late than never. This is a matter of rights for more than 12 million people. We hope that the repeal will be cancelled, as it is clearly illegal and will not escape the scrutiny of the courts,” said Bukhari, who called for colleagues at the National Conference (NC), the region’s oldest pro-India.

NC spokesman Imran Nabi Dar said his party was the first to challenge the decision which was “obviously illegal and unconstitutional”.

“We hope that people’s rights are still considered and we are sure that their illegal decisions will not go unnoticed by the law.

We consider the upcoming trial a positive development, although it will take a long time, ”he said.

Former member of parliament for the Communist Party of India, Muhammad Yusuf Tarigami, said the court “will overturn the unilateral decision” at the trial.

But for the ruling BJP, the repeal of Articles 370 and 35A is irreversible.

Its top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have repeatedly said the provision has been “buried forever”.

Kashmir Autonomy

Kashmir’s repeal of autonomy was widely criticized by the majority of India’s political parties, including the opposition Congress party, which once ruled India.

This issue was last registered in March 2020, when a constitutional panel of five judges in court rejected the applications of several applicants.

To prevent a possible rebellion in the disputed region, the Indian government has deployed tens of thousands of paramilitary troops and police officers in addition to shutting down telephone and internet services.

Tens of hundreds of people, including three former pro-India chief ministers and nearly all pro-independence leaders, have been jailed or detained in their homes.

Since 5 August 2019, the region has been governed directly from New Delhi through the office of a lieutenant governor, drawing criticism from local pro-India political parties, which are demanding the restoration of autonomy and elections so residents can vote for their choice and represent themselves.

New Delhi’s ruling Hindu nationalist government has expanded several laws to the region since 2019, some related to residence, which have raised fears of the region’s small Muslim population being drowned out by outsiders.

With cautious optimism, the region’s political parties are welcoming the upcoming assembly. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)