April 08
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday released its manifesto and has promised to eliminate Article 370 of the Constitution that grants autonomous status to the state of Jammu Kashmir.
“In the last five years, we have made all necessary efforts to ensure peace in Jammu Kashmir through decisive actions and a firm policy. We are committed to overcome all obstacles that come in the way of development and provide adequate financial resources to all the regions of the state. We reiterate our position, since the time of the Jan Sangh, to the abrogation of Article 370,” the BJP Lok Sabha election manifesto reads.
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Calling Article 35 A, an obstacle to State’s Development, The manifesto says BJP will abrogate Article 35A of the Indian Constitution, Article 35A provides special rights and privileges to the permanent residents of Jammu Kashmir.
The BJP manifesto says that the NDA government has made all necessary efforts to ensure peace in Jammu Kashmir and is committed to overcome all obstacles that come in the way of development in the state.
The BJP manifesto reads, “We are committed to annulling Article 35A of the Constitution of India as the provision is discriminatory against non-permanent residents and women of Jammu and Kashmir. We believe that Article 35A is an obstacle in the development of the state. We will take all steps to ensure a safe and peaceful environment for all residents of the state.”
The BJP also promises to ensure that Kashmiri Pandits who had to flee Jammu Kashmir in the 1990s due to militancy would return safely and the government would also provide financial help to the refugees to settle.