Article 370
Representative photo. Image credit - www.tentaran.com

The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) and the state unit of JDU on Tuesday expressed shock and opposed scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Both the parties also opposed bifurcation of the state into two union territories.

PCC president K. Therie, in a release, said it was BJP’s promise to remove Article 370 and 35(a) for J&K and the party has fulfilled the RSS’s principle of Uniform Civil Code (UUC).

Also read: Abrogation of Article 370 leads to apprehension in Nagaland

Therie said the BJP has unilaterally downgraded and divided J&K into two union territories and made them toothless.

“This is nothing less than a blatant exhibition of dictatorship. A society that has grown as a family for 72 years is now divided into two separate entities without their approval,” said Therie.

“The action is undemocratic humiliation of the highest order,” the PCC chief said.

Therie claimed that the Congress party had foreseen the ideas of UCC and Hindutva.

He said the party protested against these ideas and fought elections but the result was “painful humiliation”.

“We should not raise our voice and dishonour the mandate but the historic, undemocratic and catastrophic action of the government of India cannot be forgiven,” he said.

He said J&K has been stripped of special constitutional provisions, citing development and integration with the nation.

Nagaland may be divided into two union territories and Article 371(A) for the state may be scrapped tomorrow, he added.

Therie said the Congress, though may be small in number, does not approve of the unilateral decision of the Centre.

“J&K people deserve to be heard and respected. They cannot be beheaded without a trial,” he added.

He said the Congress, whether weak or strong, will oppose any move to scrap Article 371 (A) for Nagaland till the last drop of blood and hoped the citizens will fight against it.

The media and publicity cell of Nagaland JDU said it was highly shocked by the sudden revocation of Article 370 for J&K without any proper and rational discussion.

The release said the JDU had opposed such proposal ever since it had been on the forefront several years ago.

Reiterating its earlier stand, the party said it vehemently opposes the repeal of the Article.

According to it, the repeal “has come as an ambush on many citizens of the country who are faithful to the world’s largest democracy and its established norms”.

The JDU hoped good sense will prevail even at this moment and the NDA will see reason.

Bhadra Gogoi is Northeast Now Correspondent in Nagaland. He can be reached at: [email protected]