Jammu, August 25: Main speakers in the seminar were Prof Madhu Kishwar, editor of Manushi, Sonam Mahajan a social media celebrity, Sh Pawan Gupta, MLA, Prof HariOm, historian, political analyst and columnist, Sh B S Salathia , President Bar Association Jammu, Dr Ajay Chrungoo, Chairman, Panun Kashmir and Ankur Sharma, advocate and President, Ikk Jutt Jammu.
The programme started with Ganesha Poojan follows by Deep Prajwalan and a mesmerising presentation of the life history of Baba Sh. Kaliveer Ji by stage artists.
Sh Ashwani Sharma made the welcome address and Sh Amit Gupta conducted the proceedings of the seminar. Sh Shailendra Aima offered vote of thanks after the completion of the proceedings.
The opening presentation was made by Prof Hari Om. In his opening remarks Prof HariOm explained how creation of Article 35-A was the subversion of the Constitution of India.” Article 35-A is an act which was created bypassing the Parliament of India. It is an act which is a mockery of Constitution and was made applicable retrospectively from 1944, when India was even not a free republic and J&K was a Princely State. The act was a decisive blow to equality and freedom.”
Pawan Gupta , MLA, said that most dangerous implication of Article 35-A is the gender inequality, it has created females living in the state as second class citizens and deprived the children born of the women married outside the state the rights of normal citizens of the state. The act should be dismantled brick by brick through deft interventions legal ad well as political.
Sonam Mahajan also supported the view that time has come to annul this act,” If Supreme Court declares the act as unconstitutional it will be greatest service to the the rule of law in this nation and sanctity of the Constitution of India as well as the Parliament.
Prof Madhu Kishwar said that Jinnah and Muslim League wanted to convert India into a Dar Al Islam. ” Sadly even after the bloody partition, Indian leadership allowed the Muslim Community to institutionalise through legal and constitutional means countless provisions that discriminate in favour of Muslims, and treat Hindus as second class citizens. Article35-A is one such glaring example that tramples the core principles of Indian Constitution. Along with Article 370 it is an instrument for continued demographic invasion of India till is converted into Far Al Islam.”
Dr Ajay Chrungoo Chairman Panun Kashmir, in his address described Article 370 as the mother of subversion of Indian nation and 35-A as it’s child. ” Both represent the continuation of the idea of Pakistan on the territory of India. Both have converted J&K into a Muslim State which is now fast becoming a totalitarian Islamist state.” 35-A is an expression of enslavement of all non-Muslims living in the State.Its abrogation is critical if India has to remain as an inclusive and tolerant country.
Ankur Sharma, President Ikk Jutt Jammu said that the act represented the endeavour to convert J&K into a Muslim state. It ensures perpetuation of kashmiri Hegemony against Jammu. Residents of Jammu province suffer a second class colonised subject class status. Article 35-A denies fundamental rights to lakhs of West Pakistani Refugees; brave Gorkhas and our Safai Karamcharis of Valmiki Samaj. ”It represents Constitutional Jihad, so as soon as it goes the better.” Sh Ankur Sharma said Ikk Jutt has already filed an intervention application in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India seeking abrogation of Article 35-A. Ankur Sharma hoped that better sense will prevail upon the Union Government and it issue a Presidential Order soon declaring abrogation of Article 35-A. He said,” we have already succeeded in blocking the implementation of Roshni Act which sought regularisation of captured state lands in favour of one select community and will leave no stone unturned in Supreme Court to work hard for the abrogation of Article 35-A”.
