Outsiders from neighbouring states will take away jobs and land in Jammu if Article 35A is removed, says dissenting BJP MLA Gagan Bhagat.
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has put its weight behind scrapping Article 35A, but a BJP legislator from the Hindu-dominated Jammu has openly come out in support of retaining the provision.
In a video that surfaced Saturday, and tweeted by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, BJP MLA Gagan Bhagat said there will be a further dearth of jobs for the youth and unemployment will go up if Article 35A is removed.
“They will not even get private jobs. If someone has to buy land to build a house, he would not be able to get a land,” said Bhagat, adding that the price of land will increase manifold with an influx of moneyed people from Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, who will buy chunks of land in Jammu. “Our people do not even have the money to compete with them,” he added.
In the video, the BJP legislator from RS Pura, can be heard saying that at times, one has to take a stand which could be different from the party’s projected stand.
Article 35A is a constitutional provision that grants special rights to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, including employment in the state government, acquisition of immovable land or property, scholarships and other such aid and welfare from the government.
‘Outsiders will take away jobs’
Speaking to ThePrint, Bhagat said that Jammu could face a Maharashtra kind of situation, if Article 35A is scrapped.
“Look at the Maratha andolan. Why is it happening? Because people from outside came and took away the Marathas dues for years. If Article 35 A is scrapped, the Dogras of Jammu will face a similar situation,” he said.
“People from other neighbouring states will come and take away jobs and land in Jammu leading to increased unemployment in here, as none of us will go to Kashmir to work because of militancy there. It will be like an ethnic cleansing of Dogras. At least Article 35A gives us a security,” he added.
The instant fallout of scrapping Article 35A, he said, would be that people from other states will buy land at Katra to construct hotel for the Vaishno Devi pilgrims. Lakhs of pilgrims visit the Vaishno Devi shrine annually contributing to several local businesses in the state.
Asked if he expects his party to act against him for toeing its line, he said he is first accountable to the people of Jammu and retaining Article 35A is in the interest of the locals.
In her tweet, Mufti said the special status of J&K is not confined to a region or religion anymore. “People of the state have realised its importance & sanctity,” she wrote.
Heartening to know that two MLAs from BJP, Rajesh Gupta followed by Dr Gagan have raised their voice in defence of Article 35 A. Defending the special status of J&K is not confined to a region or religion anymore. People of the state have realised its importance & sanctity. https://t.co/IzyoOUksYd
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 11, 2018
Mufti further wrote that another BJP MLA Rajesh Gupta supported retaining Article 35A. However, Gupta told ThePrint that it was a miscommunication and he supports scrapping the provision.
Last month, a disciplinary committee of the Jammu and Kashmir BJP recommended Bhagat’s suspension on an allegation by an ex-serviceman that he had abducted his daughter — a charge denied by the woman and Bhagat.
The consequences of disturbing Articles 35 A or 370 would be profound. The issue should seen through the prism of the highest state of constitutional propriety, morality, responsibility.