Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah and RSS national executive member Ram Madhav.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or the RSS, has hit out at Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah for his grim warning that his state will not remain a part of India if Article 370 was revoked from the Indian Constitution. (
Omar Demands Explanation 'From Higher Up' Over Minister's Remarks on Article 370 )
"J&K won't b part of India? Is Omar thinking its his parental estate? 370 or no 370 J&K has been n will always b an integral part of India (sic)," tweeted RSS national executive member Ram Madhav. (
Who Said What)
The RSS leader also defended union minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh, who triggered a first-rate controversy on his inaugural day in office by reopening the debate on the Constitutional provision that bestows special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and is the only instrument governing relations between the Union of India and the state.
(After Facing Flak, Union Minister Jitendra Singh Clarifies Remark on Article 370)Mr Singh, a doctor by profession, has made his debut in the Lok Sabha by wresting the Udhampur seat from the Congress.
"The minister has merely reiterated the party line. He has called for a debate on the usefulness, or otherwise, of Article 370. Attempts to create a needless political controversy are uncalled for," Mr Madhav told newspersons today.
But the RSS has reportedly cautioned the BJP against rushing through with its plans to drop Article 370. Its leaders are learnt to have told BJP president Rajnath Singh today to prep a roadmap for rolling out discussions on the subject, and hammer out a consensus. RSS spokesman Ram Madhav, however, denied that the issue figured in the discussions between the two sides.
Mr Abdullah had attacked Dr Singh's remarks on Article 370 as being "ill-informed and irresponsible. "He took to the micro-blogging site Twitter to register his protest. "Mark my words & save this tweet - long after Modi Govt is a distant memory either J&K won't be part of India or Art 370 will still exist (sic)," he said.