No more special status to J&K, scrapping of Article 35A,350 necessary: Former SC Judge

Hyderabad: Articles 35A and 370 giving special status to Jammu and Kashmir need to be strapped as they running a counter to rights of other states said retired Supreme Court judge N Santosh Hegde on Tuesday.

When Kashmir was merged with India in 1948, the people in the region were given certain assurances back then for which Articles 35A and Article 370 from the Constitution were introduced and now with 70 years of special status already given to Kashmir, it can no longer have a separate status compared to other Indian states.

“So, in today’s context both the articles are causing a lot of problems for the country as a whole”, Hedge said in an interview with PTI.

“So, I don’t think it’s possible to continue that article” since Kahsmir is an integral part of India, it might as well have an equal status with other states.

Article 370 grants special status to J&K and 35A prohibits outsiders from purchasing land and property in that state and the Saffron party intends to scarp both the articles if retains power in the ongoing elections.

Hegde mentioned in particular controversial comments made by union minister Maneka Gandhi regarding “minorities’ votes” and Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan on his BJP opponent and film actor Jaya Prada.

“Irrespective of political parties, some of their members have gone to such a level that they don’t deserve to be in politics,” hedge said referring to politicians using hate speech to influence voters.

“And this is not the political campaign India would have expected from its leaders. It’s a very cheap and low level of campaigning, without any moral standards and unfortunately all political parties in some way or the other repeating this.