PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday (December 17) said that her fight for special status to Jammu and Kashmir will continue and noted that she cannot take the Supreme Court’s decision, which upheld the Centre’s abrogation of Article 370 from the erstwhile state on August 5, 2019, as “God’s verdict”. Mehbooba said that she will not lose hope and continue her fight in this regard.
In a historic judgement, the Supreme Court on December 11, upheld the government’s move to revoke Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, which gave special status to the erstwhile state, and said that it was constitutionally valid. The top court had also asked how can a provision (Article 370), which was specifically mentioned as temporary in the Constitution, become permanent after the tenure of the Jammu and Kashmir constituent Assembly came to an end in 1957.
“We uphold validity of decision to carve Union Territory of Ladakh out of Jammu and Kashmir,” CJI DY Chandrachud had said.
The court was hearing the batch of petitions challenging the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370.
Mehbooba reacts sharply
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said that the Supreme Court’s decision is not “God’s verdict” and cannot be treated as one.
“We do not have to lose hope. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have struggled for several years in which we have suffered losses. They want us to lose hope, accept defeat and sit back at home. This will not happen. We will fight till the end. Supreme Court's verdict is not God's verdict. The same Supreme Court had once said that Article 370 cannot be removed without the recommendation of the constituent assembly. They were also judges. Today some other judge gave the verdict. We cannot treat it as God's verdict. We will continue to fight,” she said.
SC verdict
The five-judge bench of the Supreme Court on December 11 pronounced a unanimous judgement and also directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir by September 30, 2024.
A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud consisted of Justices Gavai, Surya Kant, Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna.
"We direct that steps shall be taken by the Election Commission of India to conduct elections to the Jammu and Kashmir assembly by September 30. Restoration of statehood shall take place as soon as possible," CJI DY Chandrachud said.
(With ANI inputs)
