Indian-controlled Kashmir parties attack BJP over special status to Kashmir

The pro-Indian regional parties in Indian-controlled Kashmir- National Conference (NC) and opposition Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) Monday launched a scathing attack on India's right-wing Hindu nationalist party -Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) or India's Peoples Party over its policyon Kashmir.

The BJP Monday released its election manifesto, which said the party was "committed to the abrogation of Article 370 of Indian constitution."

The Article 370 grants special status to Indian-controlled Kashmir which otherwise is not applicable to any other state within the Union of India.

The NC leader and region's Chief Minister Omar Abdullah termed BJP manifesto as "mere sloganeering."

"BJP has always been talking about Common Civil Code, constructing Ram temple and abrogation of Article 370 of Constitution," Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar."This is just sloganeering to hoodwink people and get votes."

Abdullah also said that no party in India can revoke Article 370 without reopening the entire question of accession of Jammu and Kashmir (Indian-controlled Kashmir) to India.

The region's main opposition PDP also said Article 370 is non- negotiable and irrevocable and said it would resist attempts toward its dilution.

"Article 370 of Indian constitution is non-negotiable, irrevocable and those talking about its abrogation are ignorant about the constitutional position of the state and are misleading people of the country," Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, a PDP patron said.

BJP's manifesto, however, seems to be in divergence to the speech made by its prime ministerial hopeful Narendra Modi during its elections rally in the region last December.

Modi sought a debate on Article 370, a demand then seen as a departure from BJP's long-held position.

In the upcoming general elections BJP is trying to unseat the Congress party to establish its government.