Modi sparks Article 370 debate

Fresh sparks on Article 370 which offers special status to Jammu and Kashmir have been ignited by the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi who, in a rally in the state, said that there must be a discussion on what the Article had given the people of the state. That call for a debate muddles his party’s stand which in its 2009 poll manifesto had promised its abrogation. Meanwhile criticism from the state’s politicians has been unrelenting with Chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeting: “I challenge him or any of his minions to reproduce verbatim the section of Article 370 that determines the Jammu and Kashmir state subject law”. PDP President Mehbooba Mufti’s take was – “If that is scrapped, Jammu and Kashmir won’t remain a part of the country. What is he going to develop after that?” JDU president Sharad Yadav called Modi’s demand as irrational and that the issue can never be solved.