Centre removed Article 370 unconstitutionally: T.S. Singh Deo on Amit Shah’s ‘same agenda’ jibe

NEW DELHI: Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister T.S. Singh Deo on Thursday took strong objection to Home Minister Amit Shah’s “same agenda” jibe at the Congress-National Conference alliance, over Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s s statement on Article 370 and accused the Centre of giving a jolt to Jammu and Kashmir by revoking the constitutional provision all of sudden.

Speaking to IANS, Singh Deo launched a sharp critique of the Home Minister as he said: “The Centre did an unconstitutional thing by removing Article 370 from the country.”

“There is no Article 370. Was this not provided in the Constitution? Ultimately we have to remove it. Congress was taking the initiative to remove it in its own way, the Congress’s method was of talks. The issue was being resolved through talks. The matter was moving forward and you cut it off with the sword,” he added.

Amit Shah hit out on Thursday at the Congress-National Conference alliance after the Pakistan Minister’s statement on the issue of Article 370 and Article 35A, saying Congress’ intentions have been exposed and the party shares the same agenda as Islamabad and pledged that Article 370 will never be restored in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). He also noted how the opposition parties had demanded proof of air strikes and surgical strikes or said objectionable things about the Indian Army.

In response, Singh Deo, hitting out the BJP, said: “Whatever you think you did good, you did bad. Your method was absolutely wrong! There was a provision in the Constitution itself for which Congress was also taking initiative, it was visible in the talks that it was taking time.”

“You cut it off in one stroke, when did you cut it off? Did Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge say something or make a statement that they will re-implement Article 370 in the country?” he claimed.

On the air strike remark by Amit Shah, the Congress leader: “What questions were raised on the air strike after Pulwama (terror attack)? When the air strikes happened, the army had given a statement that many people had died. As far as I remember, Amit Shah had given another statement, in which the number was around 200. If I am not remembering wrongly. I can say with certainty that at that time there was a difference in the statements given by the army and of Amit Shah.”

He asserted that the Congress did not say that they do not trust the Army or Amit Shah.

“Congress always wanted to know the truth. But, that too was twisted. An emotional twist was given and on the basis of Pulwama and the air strike, that government won and was re-elected,” Singh Deo added.

He claimed that the issues were not brought before the people correctly. Congress only asked questions about how many people had died. But, the army was saying something and the country’s ministers were saying something different.

“So, as far as the matter of air strike is concerned, you can check the record. What were his statements at that time and what were Army’s statements? They were different,” he stated.

The former Deputy CM asserted that as far as India is concerned, Pakistan is comparatively very small. The policies Congress will run will be in the interest of the country, no matter what China, the US, Russia, and the European Union are saying about India. “We have not followed anything or will follow whatever they will recommend”.

Deo also noted that Bangladesh would not have been formed if Congress was with Pakistan during then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

“You are not able to handle Manipur and handle the loss of your wealth in Bangladesh. You are not able to provide them with defence and security. Now what is happening in J&K? You are not able to handle terrorism there. Now, you are trying to divert attention from all this and are now talking about the statement of a minister of Pakistan and the Congress,” he said. (IANS)