Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Tuesday praised a speech by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, the first Prime Minister of princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, for its foresightedness in the Supreme Court during Article 370 hearing.
The CJI intervened when senior lawyer Kapil Sibal left some portions of Sheikh Abdullah’s speech in the constituent assembly unread, during the hearing against abrogation of Article 370 in the Supreme Court today.
He himself read the speech and stated that Sheikh Abdullah had a vision in 1951 which the world is talking about today.
Sheikh Abdullah’s role as a member of the constituent Assembly of India and constituent Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir came as part of the argument during the hearing of the case.
CJI while referring to Sheikh Abdullah’s speech, termed him as visionary. “Interestingly, see how Sheikh Abdullah puts it. He says the most powerful argument which can be advanced in Pakistan’s favour is that Pakistan is a Muslim state and a big majority of our people being Muslim, the state must accede to Pakistan,” he read from Sheikh Abdullah’s speech.
Quoting the speech, the CJI read: “This claim of being a Muslim state is only a camouflage- it’s a screen to dupe the common man so that he cannot see clearly that Pakistan is a feudal state in which a clique is trying by these methods to maintain itself in power”.
Praising Sheikh Abdullah for his foresight, the CJI asked Kapil Sibal to look at the foresight of the speaker (Sheikh Abdullah).
“He had a vision in 1951 when he was speaking about economic interests which the world is talking about today,” he said.
A 5-judge bench of the Supreme Court resumed hearing pleas challenging abrogation of Article 370 today. The hearing of the case started last week. (KNS)