Mayawati defends Article 370 abrogation, slams opposition trip to Srinagar

BSP chief Mayawati has defended the Narendra Modi government's move to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special constitutional status by declaring dalit icon B.R. Ambedkar was never in favour of Article 370. She also criticised the leaders of various opposition parties, specifically naming the Congress, for attempting to visit Kashmir on Saturday.

The Modi government on August 5 had abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and also bifurcated the state into two Union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

1. जैसाकि विदित है कि बाबा साहेब डा. भीमराव अम्बेडकर हमेशा ही देश की समानता, एकता व अखण्डता के पक्षधर रहे हैं इसलिए वे जम्मू-कश्मीर राज्य में अलग से धारा 370 का प्रावधान करने के कतई भी पक्ष में नहीं थे। इसी खास वजह से बीएसपी ने संसद में इस धारा को हटाये जाने का समर्थन किया।

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) August 26, 2019

On August 5, the BSP was one of the first parties to announce it supported the move on Jammu and Kashmir. In a series of tweets in Hindi on Monday, Mayawati noted Ambedkar had “always been in favour of equality, unity and integrity” of the nation. “As a result, Ambedkar was opposed to making provisions under Article 370 for Jammu and Kashmir”. “This is the specific reason why the BSP supported the removal of Article 370,” Mayawati declared.

In another tweet, Mayawati argued it was expected that it “will take some time” for the situation in Jammu and Kashmir to normalise as Article 370 had been part of the Constitution for 69 years. Mayawati reasoned, “it is better to wait” for the situation in Jammu and Kashmir to be normal and noted the Supreme Court had also acknowledged the same.

In a third tweet, Mayawati rapped the leaders of the Congress and other parties who attempted to visit Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday without permission. A 12-member delegation of opposition party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi of the Congress, had flown to Srinagar, but were detained and sent back after the Jammu and Kashmir administration had requested the political leaders not to visit.

Mayawati asked whether the step by the opposition parties to visit would give the Central government and Jammu and Kashmir governor a “chance to do politics”. Mayawati said it would have been “appropriate” if the opposition parties had “thought” about their visit before leaving.

Despite mutually opposing the BJP, the BSP had a tenuous relationship with the Congress in recent years. The BSP and SP entered into an alliance for the Lok Sabha polls, but left out the Congress, leaving just the seats of Rae Bareli and Amethi for the grand old party.

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