Srinagar: Despite his party president Arvind Kejriwal supporting the abrogation of Article 370, the Aam Aadmi Party's lone legislator in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Wednesday backed the resolution demanding the restoration of the special status the erstwhile state enjoyed before 2019.
Earlier today, amid uproar, the House passed a resolution seeking a dialogue between the Centre and elected representatives for the restoration of the special status. It also expressed "concern" over the "unilateral removal" of the special status.
Mehraj Malik, AAP MLA from Doda district, said that he supports the resolution "which protects the land and job rights" of the Jammu and Kashmir people. "I support the resolution. Whatever is in support of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the country, I will stand with that. We should have rights over land and jobs," Malik told ETV Bharat.
Asked when Kejriwal had supported the abrogation of Article 370, how could he (Malik) back the resolution, the AAP MLA said: "I am simply saying that I support the resolution as it seeks protection of land rights and jobs. It is the issue of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
When Article 370 was abrogated on August 5, 2019, Kejriwal had supported the BJP government's decision. "We support the govt on its decisions on J&K. We hope this will bring peace and development in the state," Kejriwal had posted on X, then Twitter.
We support the govt on its decisions on J & K. We hope this will bring peace and development in the state.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 5, 2019
PDP legislator from Pulwama Waheed Ur Rehman Para said his party also supports the resolution as it is a "reflection" of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He, however, said he expected a strong-worded resolution from the National Conference government.
"People of Jammu and Kashmir do not support the decision of 5th August 2019. The resolution is the beginning of whatever we have lost. We wish it could have been more strongly worded and opposed the 5th August (decision) and clearly sought the restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. There are slight words in the resolution. Phir bhi dair aaye durust aaye. Yeh ek acha move hai aur hum is ka khairmuqdam karte hain (Better late than never. This is a good move and we welcome it)," Para told ETV Bharat.
However, he said that the PDP opposes the dialogue which the government has sought for the restoration of the special status.
"I think there is no need for dialogue as the message is clear that we want restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. That should have been strongly articulated (in the resolution) also it should have condemned the abrogation. However, whatever is mentioned we endorse it and we are in support of the process that initiates a new beginning to reclaim whatever we have lost," he said.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the Assembly had done its job after it passed the resolution. "The assembly has done its job. I will only say this much," Omar told reporters outside the assembly complex.
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