Will make every sacrifice to preserve Article 35 A: Mehbooba Mufti

Amid the rising debate over Section 35 A of the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir, former chief minister of the state and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday assured that her party will make every sacrifice to preserve the Article.

Addressing a workers meeting of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) at Kangan in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, Mehbooba said her party was committed to preserve the sanctity of Article 35 A.

"During my government, I made every effort from engaging top-notch lawyers in raising political awareness in the country and the state about the need for protection of Article 35 A."

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"... In future also whatever will be required, I and my party will do (it) for protecting the special status of the state," she said. 

The PDP president said resolving the problems in Jammu and Kashmir and working towards peace in South Asia by ensuring Indo-Pak friendship were the founding principles of her party. 

"Ever since its formation, the PDP has been striving hard for realising these objectives with all seriousness," she said.

"When our party formed the government in 2002 with Congress, we laid out a schematic plan for attainment of these basic goals and bringing succour to common masses in the state," she added. 

Mehbooba further said measures, which were unheard of in the past, were taken by the PDP-led government to get the ball rolling on several vexed issues. 

"Though that momentum lost its pace after 2008, the party continued with its basic agenda and with people's approval when PDP came to power again in 2015, it made its alliance partner to commit on the issues of the state through an Agenda of Alliance, a document which got recognition at the national level," she said. 

The former chief minister said even while sharing power with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the PDP continued to push for its core agenda like protection of Article 370, dialogue with all stakeholders in the state and resumption of Indo-Pak peace process.

Article 370 of the Constitution grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, while it also disallows people from residing in Jammu and Kashmir, buying or owning immovable property in the state, settle permanently, or get state government jobs.

A non-governmental organisation, We the Citizens, filed a petitioned in the Apex Court in 2014 to abolish the law on the grounds that it was "unconstitutional".

The Article is currently facing a legal challenge in the Supreme Court.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for January 2019.

(With inputs from PTI)