The Centre’s moves on Kashmir dominated Twitter, Monday with strong reactions from all sides.
Political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir have expectedly opposed the Centre’s move to revoke Article 370, which granted special status to the state.
The last tweet by National Conference leader and former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah was that he was being put under house arrest. After Home Minister Amit Shah announced the repeal of the special status, Abdullah reacted with a statement. Read on to find out.
"The decisions are unilateral, illegal and unconstitutional and will be challenged as such by the National Conference. A long and tough battle lies ahead": Omar Abdullah said in a statement.#JammuAndKashmir#Article370
Live updates https://t.co/2c6rNlsp7W pic.twitter.com/QtcH2bLsLa
— NDTV (@ndtv) August 5, 2019
I believe I’m being placed under house arrest from midnight tonight & the process has already started for other mainstream leaders. No way of knowing if this is true but if it is then I’ll see all of you on the other side of whatever is in store. Allah save us ??
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 4, 2019
People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti had a lot to say about her former alliance partner’s decision to abrogate Article 370 with some insightful lines.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 5, 2019
Activist Shehla Rashid explained the entire Kashmir situation with a rather unique, but alarming analogy.
— Nikita (@nikitanikitata) August 4, 2019
He normally opposes anything the BJP does so it is unusual to find Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal supporting this contentious decision. Upcoming elections got anything to do with it?
Former minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj described the BJP’s decision as “bold and historic”.
बहुत साहसिक और ऐतिहासिक निर्णय. श्रेष्ठ भारत – एक भारत का अभिनन्दन.
A bold and historic decision. We salute our Great India – one India.— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 5, 2019
Former finance minister Arun Jaitley also gave the Narendra Modi government a thumbs up and explained why the move was necessary.
What was a temporary and transient provision cannot be treated as permanent. It had to go.
— Arun Jaitley (@arunjaitley) August 5, 2019
However, not all former finance ministers are on the same page with regard to the Union Cabinet’s decision. Congress leader P. Chidambaram felt the Modi government’s move was a “misadventure”.
I had warned of a misadventure in J&K. It seems the government is determined to embark upon one.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) August 5, 2019
Congress leader Digvijaya Singh went further and called it diabolical and dictatorial. He’s one of the few Congress leaders to speak on the issue — the likes of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are silent.
A diabolical and dictatorial plan of Modi to finish democracy in Kashmir. No stakeholder knows what’s in store in J&K except Modi Doval and Amit Shah. We stand with people of Kashmir & Kashmiriyat as strongly as we stand for India and democracy.
— digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) August 5, 2019
The decision on Kashmir did not sit well with president of All India Mahila Congress Sushmita Dev either.
The constitution is the spirit of the nation. We are what we are today as a nation because we live by our constitution. Any violation or desecration is unacceptable. https://t.co/qKX0a7lLUe
— Sushmita Dev (@sushmitadevinc) August 5, 2019
President of Shiv Sena’s youth wing Aaditya Thackeray and his party welcomed the Union Cabinet’s decision.
Celebrations outside Shiv Sena Bhavan. Proud today as Indians, as we open up Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh to peace, progress and prosperity. pic.twitter.com/NCyq8x6wV5
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) August 5, 2019
While other opposition parties such as the Bahujan Samaj Party and Biju Janata Dal are supporting the BJP on Kashmir, LJD’s Rajya Sabha MP Sharad Yadav condemned it.
#Article370 में छेड़छाड़ करना देश के माहौल को बिगाड़ना होगा तथा भयानक हो सकता है। आज इसको राज्य सभा में पेश करना बिना सभी राजनैतिक दलों से बात किए यह देश के प्रजातंत्र के लिए ठीक नहीं है। मैं इसकी निन्दा करता हूँ। सिर्फ हिन्दू-मुस्लिम करके जनता को गुमराह करना ठीक बात नहीं है।
— SHARAD YADAV (@SharadYadavMP) August 5, 2019
And from across the border, some reactions.
Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called the move by India an act of aggression, while the fellow PPP leader Sherry Sherman points out that the Pakistani Prime Minister is too busy to care.
Atrocities in IOK unabated. Extremist Indian govts intentions clear. President must immediately summon Joint session of Parliament in wake of Indian aggression in IOK. #KashmirBleeds
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) August 5, 2019
While PM busy crowing about bullion tree-tsunami.
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) August 5, 2019
Here’s why.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was seen planting saplings.
Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated monsoon tree plantation campaign by planting a sapling in Islamabad today.#Plant4Pakistan #CleanGreenPakistan #TenBillionTreeTsunami pic.twitter.com/QYHG3sbH8A
— Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) August 5, 2019