Mehbooba Warns Centre Against Scrapping Of Article 35A; Says 'Ready To Go To Jail Protecting It'

Former Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti said her party would stand like a rock for the protection of state's special status and that she was ready to go to jail while protecting the same.

New Delhi: As deployment of additional troops in Jammu and Kashmir has intensified apprehensions of removal of Article 35A of the Constitution, Former Chief Minister of the state and the Peoples Democratic party chief Mehbooba Mufti, on Sunday, lashed out at the Centre and warned it against revocation of Article 35-A . She said she is ready to go to jail for protecting Article 35A which talks about Jammu and Kashmir's special status. Addressing party workers on PDP's foundation day, Mufti said: "Anybody trying to fiddle with Article 35A would be playing with dynamite. It would have such disastrous consequences that nobody would be able to control." Any tinkering with the state's special status or identity would be akin to setting a powder keg on fire, she said. She asked her party workers to get ready for a "big fight" for the protection of Article 35A. “We want to tell the central government that tinkering with Article 35-A will be akin to setting a powder keg on fire. If any hand tries to touch Article 35-A, not only that hand, but that whole body will burn to ashes," Mufti said. She said many attempts would be made to harass the PDP and its leaders as New Delhi knows that the PDP is the only party that stands like a wall to protect Jammu and Kashmir's special status and identity. "They can even send Mehbooba Mufti behind the bars. But, do not get worried. PDP is the only party that can fight them as we do not have any baggage. Other parties also say the same thing, but they do not say so from the heart. It is written on our hearts that we have to take Jammu and Kashmir out of this morass. The former chief minister said in the current situation, the people of Jammu and Kashmir need the PDP more than ever. "Today, everything is in danger. No one knows what is going to happen. Today, there is the need for the PDP more than it ever was for the people of J-K. Mufti also criticized former Chief Minister and Vice President of the National Conference (NC), Omar Abdullah, for saying that the decision of the Supreme Court on Article 35A would be accepted by the NC.