Former Union Minister and Congress veteran P. Chidambaram on Monday said that the statehood must be restored to Jammu and Kashmir and the rights of the erstwhile state’s people “should be respected”.
“Congress Party’s position, reiterated yesterday, that full Statehood must be restored to J&K should clear any doubt or ambiguity,” he tweeted.
The tweet further read: “What was made under the Constitution cannot be unmade by an Act of Parliament misinterpreting and misusing the provisions of the Constitution.”
“Please remember that the dismembering of J&K has been challenged in the Supreme Court and the cases are pending for nearly 2 years,” it read
He said that the Parliament should “repeal the offending laws and restore the status quo ante in J&K” in the monsoon session. “That is the only way to draw the starting line for a political resolution of the Kashmir issue. J&K was a ‘state’ that signed an Instrument of Accession and acceded to India. It must enjoy that status forever. J&K is not a piece of ‘real estate’.” read the tweet.
It added: “J&K is ‘people’. Their rights and wishes must be respected.”
