Article 370 abrogation: Congress says SC verdict binding; calls for statehood restoration

New Delhi: Congress today said that the debate over Article 370 was closed after the Supreme Court held that the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was abrogated in accordance with the constitution.

Congress pointed out that the party was neither a petitioner nor a stakeholder in any of the petitions, which had challenged the abrogation of Article 370, hence there was no question of it seeking any review of the judgment.

“Since accession, Jammu & Kashmir was -- and is -- an integral part of India. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are Indian citizens. We reiterate our resolve to work for the security, peace, development, and progress of Jammu & Kashmir”, the party added.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters, P Chidambaram and Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, “The Supreme Court has held that Article 370 was abrogated in accordance with the Constitution that is the law of the country. And all of us are bound by the law of the country. We can have opinions, but that is a law”.

Dr Singhvi said according to the Constitution, the Supreme Court is the final word and hence the debate over the abrogation of the article is closed. He pointed out, that Congress was neither a party nor a stakeholder in any of these petitions challenging the abrogation. “Hence the decision is final and the Congress neither has any agenda nor has the party ever said that it will seek the review of the decision”, he clarified.

Chidambaram said that while the judgment of the apex court has decided many issues, it has left open some issues that are also vitally important. “Prima facie, we respectfully disagree with the judgment on how Article 370 was abrogated. We reiterate the CWC resolution dated 06-08-2019”, Chidambaram said.

He said, “We are also disappointed that the Hon'ble Supreme Court did not decide the question of dismembering the State and reducing its status to two Union Territories”.

That question has been reserved for adjudication in a suitable case in the future, he pointed out.

Welcoming the SC decision directing restoration of the statehood of J&K, the Congress leaders said that the Indian National Congress has always demanded the restoration of full statehood for what has become the Union Territory of J&K. “We welcome the Supreme Court’s verdict in this regard. Full statehood must be restored immediately. The aspirations of the people of Ladakh must also be fulfilled”, they added.

The party also welcomed the court's direction to hold assembly elections. However, the leaders added, “We believe that the elections should be held immediately and there is no reason to wait until September 30, 2024. When elections are held, the people of Jammu & Kashmir will have an opportunity to express their views on the crucial questions that were debated in the Supreme Court -- an opportunity that has been denied to them so far.”

The Congress welcomed the observation that “direct elections to the legislative assembly which is one of the paramount features of representative Democracy in India cannot be put on hold, until statehood is restored”. They said, democracy not autocracy, is the demand of citizens of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Jammu & Kashmir has been run by a selected government for almost or over half a decade not by an elected government. Why is the BJP afraid of an elected government?” they asked.