The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Monday said he and the party is prepared for the “long battle” for the restoration of Article 370.

The party’s struggle for (Article 370) will continue, Omar said while streaming live on X (formerly Twitter). Describing the Supreme Court’s decision as disappointing, the NC chief said, “We were not expecting such a verdict. We were hoping for justice for the people of Jammu and Kashmir from the highest court of the country. Unfortunately, we could not convince the 5 bench judges of the SC but I can say with certainty that we could not have done more than that.”

“The fact is that our opponents also admitted that the National Conference left no stone unturned to defend the case and we could not have expected our lawyers Kapil Sibal and Gopala Subramaniam to present our case in a better way. In this moment of collective despair, we apologize to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and to those in the country who wanted us to succeed in this fight,” the former chief minister added. 

He reiterated his determination to continue “struggle for the restoration of the constitutional and democratic rights” of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “I want to tell the people that the matter does not end here, our efforts will not end here. Apart from the court, our position has always been that this is a political fight, a constitutional fight, a fight within the realm of law,” he said, adding, “I want to assure our people that indeed we failed today, but we are not hopeless. We will not budge and will continue our struggle for restoration of our rights.” 

On other parts of the judgement, Omar said, “On election, return of statehood and Truth and Reconciliation Commission, I will reserve my comments on it because the election was never the primary issue for us, although the restoration of statehood is to some extent but is insignificant compared to Article 370. As far as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is concerned, I have already spoken on it and will continue to do so.”

 

 

 

Celebrations were held across Jammu on Monday soon after the Supreme Court gave its decision upholding the decision of the Parliament to repeal Article 370 that granted special status to the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.

People distributed sweets at different places in Jammu City and danced to the drum beats welcoming the decision of the Apex Court about  Article 370. 

Bajrang Dal, Dogra Front and other organisations termed the decision of the country’s highest court as historic. 

The BJP unit of the J&K Union Territory also termed the verdict of the Supreme Court as historic, saying the matter regarding the abrogation of Article 370 must be put to rest now.

“We are proud of our country, Constitution and our judiciary and respect the judgement of the Supreme Court,” J&K BJP President, Ravinder Raina, said while addressing a press conference here. 

Raina added, “Now the matter regarding abrogation of Article 370 must be put to rest after the verdict of Supreme Court and all political parties of J&K should work for the people and development of J&K rather than misleading them over.”

Welcoming the SC verdict, the Bar Association of Jammu (BAJ) said India is one and Article 370 was a stumbling stone in the nation’s integrity which has been removed.

“We welcome the decision of the apex court of the country over the abrogation of Article 370 as we believe that nation is first and Article 370 was discriminatory and injustice with the people of J&K besides it promoted separatism and anti-national activities,” President, Jammu High Court Bar Association, Vikram Sharma told Rising Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the Congress said that the party’s struggle over the restoration of statehood to J&K and holding of assembly elections here will continue. 

 

 

Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday termed the Supreme Court’s verdict upholding the abrogation of Article 370 “sad and unfortunate” but said everyone has to accept it “with a heavy heart”.

Nobody will be happy with this judgement in Jammu and Kashmir, Azad said after a five-judge apex court bench ended a decades-long debate by unanimously upholding the Centre’s decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 bestowing special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. It also directed restoration of statehood “at the earliest” as well as elections to the assembly by September 30 next year. 

“It is unfortunate but everyone has to accept the decision of the Supreme Court with a heavy heart. We did not expect this decision. We were thinking that the Supreme Court will consider the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and also the historical background under which Article 370 was incorporated to the constitution. That was our hope but unfortunately, that has not happened,” Azad told reporters at his residence here. 

Asked about the court’s direction on holding elections and restoration of statehood, Azad said the government had made these commitments in the Parliament already. 

In his view, the abrogation of Article 370 was done hurriedly and without consulting the people or the political parties of Jammu and Kashmir. 

“It is a sad day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir which people have to accept because there is no other course (available). These are the two strongest pillars of a democracy — one is the lawmaking, the Parliament, which took the decision against Article 370 in August 2019. Then there is the Supreme Court which interprets the decisions of GOI or parliament. That has also gone against us,” Aad said

“Had the political parties of Jammu and Kashmir been consulted, maybe we would have been able to bargain something, maybe we would have got something…,” he said. 

 

 

 

The verdict of the Supreme Court dismissing the challenges to the abrogation of Article 370 and dissolution of the State of Jammu and Kashmir is disturbing and has serious consequences for the federal structure of the Constitution which is one of its fundamental features, CPI(M)’s Polit Bureau said on Monday.

In a statement, the Polit Bureau said, “The verdict says that J&K does not retain any element of sovereignty after the Instrument of Accession was signed and hence rules that the Constitution of J&K is redundant. But, was not signing of the Instrument of Accession conditional to retaining a special status contained in now abrogated Article 370?  The verdict declares that J&K is like any other state in the Indian Union, thereby depriving it of even the special features granted to the northeastern states and some others under various clauses of Article 371.”

“The verdict has evaded going into the merits of downgrading the state of J&K into two Union Territories, stating that the Solicitor General has promised the return of statehood. At the same time, the creation of a separate Ladakh Union Territory is upheld as valid. So, the restoration is not for the original state of J&K, but only a part of it and even that remains an assurance on paper,” it said. “Strangely, the Supreme Court directs the Election Commission of India to hold polls in J&K at the earliest not later than September 30, 2024.  The verdict, thus, gives the Central government a long rope to retain control over J&K.”

When a state is under President’s rule and its statehood is dissolved, in the absence of an elected Legislative Assembly can the concurrence of the President-appointed Governor be taken as the substitute? Again, this has serious consequences for all other states where the President’s rule can be imposed and its boundaries altered or statehood dissolved, the party said.

“The proviso under Article 3 of the Constitution states that the President shall refer the Bill for reorganization of any state to the legislature of the concerned state to elicit its opinion. This verdict opens Pandora’s Box permitting the Central government to unilaterally initiate the formation of new states, and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing states. This may well lead to serious undermining of federalism and the rights of the elected state legislatures,” the CPI(M) said, adding that a detailed response to this 5-bench verdict, with the main judgement and 2 concurring judgements, can only be made after a thorough study. 

 

 

 

Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (JKPDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti termed Supreme Court’s verdict on Article 370 as the “defeat of the very Idea of India”. 

Mufti addressed the people through a video on social media and urged the people of J&K not to lose hope. She acknowledged the decision as a setback but asserted that it does not mark the end of their struggle. 

“The Supreme Court’s pronouncement on Article 370, declaring it as temporary, is not our defeat but the defeat of the secular and democratic idea of India with which we acceded, rejecting the two-nation theory,” Mufti said. 

Mehbooba said while the Supreme Court’s decision is a challenging moment, it should be viewed as a difficult and temporary moment in their struggle, not the end of the road. 

The PDP chief added, “The BJP must know the people of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh are hurt, humiliated, and disempowered. We will continue to channel their sentiments and fight for our rights. The Supreme Court’s judgment is a letdown, but we always believed it was a political issue, and we will pursue it with the same spirit—through peaceful, democratic resistance to the BJP.”

Meanwhile, the JKPDP has suspended all of its political activities for next one week. “The decision has been taken in order to stand in solidarity with the people of Jammu & Kashmir in the wake of the Supreme Court of India’s Judgment of the issue of Article 370,” the party said in a statement. 

 

 

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court decision to uphold the Centre’s decision on Section 370 and 35A of the Constitution and said it was a “historic victory of PM Narendra Modi’s visionary step”. 

Chugh said J&K entered a new era of growth and development after 2019. He said the UT government is determined to ensure that the fruits of progress not only reach the people but also extend their benefits to the most vulnerable and marginalised sections of society who suffered due to Article 370. 

“The verdict is not just a legal judgment; it is a beacon of hope, a promise of a brighter future and a testament to our collective resolve to build a stronger, more united India,” he said.

The BJP leader said ever since J&K turned a new chapter, there has been a 45.2 percent reduction in terrorist incidents and a 90 percent reduction in infiltration as compared to 2018 to 2023.

The law and order issues like stone pelting have reduced by 97 percent even as there has been a 65 percent reduction in casualties among security personnel, he said, adding that in 2018, the incidents of stone pelting were 1,767, which were now almost zero.

Chugh said after the abolition of 370, the network of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir has been destroyed. Moreover, a record 1.88 crore tourists came to the state and the tourism sector has increased, he added.

He added, “In 2018, 199 youths became terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, this number has reduced to 12 in 2023.”

The credit for all the new turns in J&K goes to the prime minister for his visionary steps, he said.

 

 

The Supreme Court verdict on the pleas challenging the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution is “disappointing” and justice has yet again “eluded” the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Conference (PC) chief Sajad Lone said on Monday.

“The Supreme Court verdict on Article 370 is disappointing. Justice yet again eludes the people of J&K,” Lone said in a statement, adding, “Article 370 may have been legally obliterated, but will always remain a part of our political aspirations.”

In the case of statehood, Lone said the Supreme Court “sidestepped even commenting on it, thus protecting the entire country from any future misuse, by citing precedence”.

“Yet the same misuse was subtly endorsed in J&K. Let us hope at a future date, justice wakes up from its slumber of pretence,” the PC president said.

 

 

The All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC) has welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict regarding the restoration of statehood and the initiation of the election process in Jammu and Kashmir.

Anil Sharma, President of the AJKPC who is on a weeklong visit to the valley, in a statement issued here, said, “AJKPC welcomes the verdict of the Apex Court related to restoration of Statehood and conducting elections in J&K, it is a highly appreciable decision.”

Sharma, however, preferred to maintain silence on the decision of the Apex Court regarding upholding the abrogation of Article 370 but appreciated the verdict on the restoration of statehood and the direction to the Election Commission of India to take the initiative to hold elections in J&K.

The AJKPC President expressed concerns about the “indecisiveness” of the Election Commission of India in conducting assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir saying it is unfortunate that the Supreme Court had to remind and prompt the ECI to fulfill its constitutional duties. He urged the Election Commission to take proactive measures to conduct assembly elections in J&K. 

AJKPC also demanded that local bodies, assembly and Lok Sabha elections must be held together in J&K, saying this would save precious time and money of the people. 

“BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have always advocated for a One Nation One Election. Therefore, they must start it from J&K where all the three bodies are scheduled to go in electoral battle,” Sharma said.