New Delhi, 05 August (H.S.): Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti over her protest on the eve of the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370. Speaking to reporters in the Parliament complex, Singh accused Mehbooba Mufti of siding with terrorists and went so far as to describe her as a terrorist.

Giriraj Singh alleged that Mehbooba Mufti had stood with terrorists for a long time. He said that his party had once shared power with her in Jammu and Kashmir and had tried to bring her onto the right path, but decided to sever ties after she failed to change.

The Union Minister described August 5—the date on which Article 370 was abrogated—as a landmark day in India's history. He said that just as Independence Day on August 15 and Republic Day on January 26 are significant national occasions, August 5 is equally important. According to him, the decision fulfilled the vision of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and the aspirations of millions of Indians.

Singh further said that the abrogation of Article 370 strengthened the principle of One Nation, One Flag, One Prime Minister, and One Constitution across the country.

On August 5, 2019, the Central Government revoked the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution. Simultaneously, under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the erstwhile state was bifurcated into the two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Since then, August 5 has been observed by the BJP and organisations supporting the Central Government as the anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370. Several regional political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, however, have continued to oppose the move and have consistently demanded the restoration of the region's special status. As part of this opposition, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti staged a protest on the eve of the anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar