Article 370 scrapped: Congress' Raebareli MLA backs Centre's decision, no words from Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Vadra

Taking a different party line on Centre's move to scrap of Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Congress' Raebareli MLA Aditi Singh on Monday hailed the government's decision. On the social networking site Facebook, she wrote that 'United we stand' and 'Jai Hind' using the hashtag  Article 370. Notably, young leaders of the Congress which is yet to find a president for the party after Rahul Gandhi's resignation has hailed the government's monumental step, while the Gandhi family has till now remained silent over their opinion on the matter. Sources said that Congress leaders like Deepinder Hooda and Hardik Patel also are favouring the decision. 

The Raebareli MLA Singh also hit back at a user after he commented, "You are Congressi," on her post. She retaliated against the user by sayingthat she is an Indian. "Main ek Hindustani hoon (I am an Indian)."

Senior Congress leader Janardan Dwivedi also welcomed the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, saying 'a mistake of history has been corrected.' "Ram Manohar Lohia ji under whom I had political training was always against this Article. A mistake of history has been corrected today, albeit late," Dwivedi, who was considered close to party leader Sonia Gandhi a few years ago, told ANI.

READ: With J&K's Article 370 To Go, PM Modi's Journey: From Hoisting Tricolour At Srinagar's Lal Chowk 27 Years Ago, To Integrating India

Rajya Sabha passes Jammu & Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill, 2019

The government had revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.The Jammu & Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill, 2019, which strips Jammu and Kashmir's status of a state and converts it into a Union Territory with legislature and carving out Ladakh region as a UT without legislature, was passed in a division pressed by the opposition with 125 votes in favor and 61 against, and an NCP member abstained.

What is Article 35 A?

Incorporated in the Constitution by a 1954 Presidential order, Article 35 A defines the permanent residents of the state of Jammu and Kashmir by giving special rights and privileges to the state subjects. It stems from Article 370 that gives autonomous right to Jammu and Kashmir. 

The article is also referred to as Permanent Residents Law and bars woman belonging to the state from any property rights if she marries a person from outside the state. Even the children of such women do not get the right as they do not have any succession rights over the property.

What is Article 370?

It exempts Jammu and Kashmir from following the Indian Constitution except for Article 1 and itself. It also restricts Parliament's legislative powers in Jammu and Kashmir. It was passed in the Constituent Assembly on May 27, 1949 and is the first article of Part XXI of the Indian Constitution. The heading of this part is ‘Temporary, Transitional and Special Provisions’.

READ: J&K: Article 370 scrapped, United States urges all stakeholders to maintain peace, says 'closely watching'