Minister of State, Jitendra Singh
Hours after he raised a huge political storm by seeking a debate on the future of Article 370, union minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office and the department of personnel and training (DoPT)
Jitendra Singh embarked on damage-limitation exercise, arguing that he had been "misquoted," and that the entire controversy was "baseless."
"I seek to clarify that the reports in the media about my statement on Article 370 are misquoted. I have never said anything quoting the Honourable Prime Minister. The controversy is totally baseless," he said in a statement tonight.
Soon after he took charge in the DoPT, Singh, a medical practitioner who won the Udhampur seat on the BJP ticket, reopened the chapter on the Constitutional provision that accords a special status to Jammu and Kashmir. His remarks invited a swift retaliation from Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah and People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti.
"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," tweeted Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah. "Art 370 is the ONLY constitutional link between J&K & rest of India. Talk of revocation of not just ill informed it's irresponsible (sic),'' he added.
The PDP too slammed the union minister's efforts to reopen the debate on Article 370, and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rein him in. It described as "disruptive" his statement that the "process of repealing article 370 of the Constitution of India had begun."
"The PMO must clarify the statement to reassure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that that no mischief is on its way", Ms Mufti said in a statement issued earlier today.
Article 370 is the only instrument that governs the relations between the Union of India and the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is, according to experts, often mistaken for state subjects laws.
The 57-year-old minister had earlier in the day reiterated what Mr Modi had said while addressing an election rally in Jammu in December. "His (Mr Modi's) intention and that of the government is that we should have a debate so that we can convince the unconvinced about the disadvantages of Article 370," Dr Singh told the media soon after assuming office.