BJP MLA goes against party lines, supports Article 35-A

Jammu, Aug 11 (KNB): Contrary to the expectations of his party BJP MLA from RS Pura expressed his support to protect Article 35-A. The statement of BJP MLA has sent embarrassing waves with the party circles.
According to the Kashmir News Bureau monitoring desk, a video of BJP MLA from RS Pura, Gagan Bhagat on Saturday gone viral on Social Media where he is seen openly supporting the Article 35-A.
The MLA not only goes against the party policy but alleged party of ignoring interests of the people of J&K for political gains at the national level by raising the demand for abrogating this article.



“Instead of protecting interests of the people of J&K, the BJP leadership is more concerned about winning the Lok Sabha elections, so the party is raising the demand for abrogation of Article 35-A,” he said and asserted that no one could abrogate the Article which granted special privileges and rights to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Pertinent to mention here, the disciplinary committee of the state BJP on last month had recommended suspension of Bhagat from the party for alleged abduction of a woman.
Contrary to the expectations of Bhartiya Janata Party and its likeminded parties including National Panthers Party, Panun Kashmir, ABVP, majority of the people from Jammu Division mostly youth have started taking to social media networking sites in defense of Article 35A-that bars outside state subjects to buy property or secure jobs in Jammu and Kashmir.
Pertinently, amid exemplary two days shutdown in the length and breadth of Jammu and Kashmir state, the Supreme Court of Indiaon Monday deferred adjourned the hearing on a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of Article 35-A till 27th August 2018.
The debate with respect to the constitutionality of Article 35A started after an NGO ‘We The Citizens’ filed a petition in the Supreme Court in 2014, saying the provision was only supposed to be a temporary one. (KNB)