New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Tuesday questioned the manner in which the Centre revoked special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution, saying that the government put up restrictions to curtail any response from the people of Kashmir.
'Govt put up restrictions to suppress Kashmiris'
In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, Aiyar said, "If Kashmiris wanted special status under Article 370 to be revoked, why were additional troops sent? Kashmiris were ignored because they (government) knew the move would not be welcomed."
"To stop Kashmiris from responding, the government put restrictions," he added.
However, the Congress leader accepted that the move was welcomed in Jammu and Ladakh regions along with the rest of the country.
"I am talking about the Valley, Kargil, Rajouri, Poonch and other such areas. Wherever there was a possibility of disagreement, forces were deployed," he said.
Defending his earlier comments where he likened the situation in Kashmir to that of Palestine, Aiyar said, "One day, the restrictions will have to be removed, and that day, an Intifada (rebellion) will take place. Yes, I do not want it to happen, but it will."
"PM Modi says he will give Kashmir development. Britishers gave us Railways, Telephones, Schools, Industries, but we asked them to leave India. USA recently promised Palestine a lot of funds. In spite of their differences, all Palestinians refused, saying that their loyalty was not up for sale. The same thing will happen in Kashmir," he added.
'How can a turncoat Guv be the voice of Kashmiris?'
Coming down heavily on the Centre's decision, Aiyar said that the people of Kashmir and the state Assembly should have been consulted before such a big move.
"The President can take a step only with the concurrence of the Jammu and Kashmir Constituent Assembly. As the Constituent Assembly was dissolved decades ago, even the Supreme Court said that it Article 370 is a permanent provision," he said.
He added that the decision was taken with the assent of Governor Satyapal Malik, which was wrong. "Here is an Aaya Ram Gaya Ram (turncoat) Governor who has switched sides so often, and he is seen as the voice of Kashmiris," he said.
'Kashmir an integral part of India, Pak should stay away'
Aiyar said that 'there was no doubt' that the issue was India's internal matter. Citing the example of the crisi in Hong Kong, he said that India never commented o the issue as it was China's internal matter.
Criticising Pakistan for its attempts to interfere, he said, "Pakistan should not comment as they themselves made so many changes in Azad Kashmir (part of PoK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (part of PoK). Who are they to interfere? They should stay away."
"Kashmir is an integral part of India. However, sending so many troops to an integral part of the nation, has it ever happened before? I am told that for every eight Kashmiris, there is one soldier," he added.
'If Syama Prasad Mukherjee were alive today, he would have told the govt they are wrong'
Accepting that though a few leaders within the Congress had apprehensions with regard to Article 370, they went ahead with the consensus within the party.
"Sardar Patel said that the party must be taken forward with consensus. Yes, he had a few reservations, but he accepted the consensus. Just because a few leaders had apprehensions, does not mean the provision should not exist," he said.
"Many might not know, but Syama Prasad Mukherjee signed the Constitution. This shows that he accepted Article 370. If he were alive today, his inner lawyer would have told the government today that they are wrong," he added.
'Few differing views within Cong, but one official stand'
Aiyar said that a few differing views within the Congress did not mean that the party was in disarray.
"There will be different views within a true democratic party. Does every Republican stand with Trump? Yes there are a few differing views within our party, but there is one official stand," he said.
"Even Jawaharlal Nehru wrote to Mahatma Gandhi that he did not like his book Hind Swaraj. This is what the Congress is," he added.
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