Mehbooba Mufti said the move to scrap Article 370 is "llegal" and "unconstitutional".
Highlights
- Ex-J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti among those under house arrest
- Government wants to change demography of J&K: Mehbooba Mufti
- J&K will be reorganised and will no longer be a state, said Amit Shah
An outraged former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who is among those placed under house arrest, said the government's move to do away with Article 370 of the constitution, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, is "illegal" and "unconstitutional". Terming the government's intention "sinister", she said the government wants to change the demography of Jammu and Kashmir.
Jammu and Kashmir will be reorganised and will no longer be a state, Home Minister Amit Shah said today in parliament, after announcing that Article 370 granting special status to the state under the constitution would be scrapped. Ladakh will be a Union Territory without an assembly and Jammu and Kashmir will be a Union Territory with an assembly, under the proposal. There will be two Lieutenant Governors.
"Today marks the darkest day in Indian democracy. Decision of J&K leadership to reject 2 nation theory in 1947 & align with India has backfired. Unilateral decision of GOI to scrap Article 370 is illegal & unconstitutional which will make India an occupational force in J&K," Ms Mufti said.
In another tweet, Ms Mufti said: "The overwhelming mandate that Modi ji got had given us hope that like a statesman he too would tread the path taken by Vajpayee ji & reach out to people of J&K. What an utter betrayal of trust."
Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and Sajad Lone, the three most prominent politicians from Jammu and Kashmir, were placed under house arrest after midnight on Sunday in an unprecedented lockdown that follows a massive security build-up and a first-ever government advisory asking Amarnath pilgrims and tourists to leave Kashmir immediately.
Echoing Ms Mufti's thoughts, Mr Abdullah said the decision on Article 370 is a "total betrayal of trust" of the people and that it amounted to "aggression".
In a series of tweets after the government's notification, Ms Mufti said she is not being allowed to have visitors. "Not sure how long I'll be able to communicate. Is this the India we acceded to?" she wrote.
Mobile internet and phone connections have been blocked in many places and public meetings or rallies have been banned in Srinagar and parts of the state.
Before the government's official announcement in parliament, the rapid escalation of security measures had fuelled fears of the government's plan to do away with Jammu and Kashmir's special status.