After CWC meet on abrogation of Article 370, Cong calls meeting of general secretaries, state leadership

New Delhi [India], Aug 7 (ANI): With several leaders from the party taking a different line on the abrogation of Article 370, the Congress has called for a meeting of its general secretaries and state leaders on Friday with an aim to avoid confusion about its stand on the issue.

After a three-hour-long meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) held on Tuesday, the party's General Secretary, Organisation, KC Venugopal has called for the meeting of general secretaries on Friday to discuss the issue.

On Tuesday, the CWC had slammed the central government on the issue and passed resolution deploring what it said was the "unilateral, brazen and totally undemocratic manner in which Article 370 was abrogated and Jammu-Kashmir was dismembered by misinterpreting the provisions of the Constitution."

According to party sources, during that meeting, many leaders expressed their view in favour of abrogation of Article 370 but condemned the way in which the government took up the issue.

The party should respect the sentiments of people, sources quoted these leaders as saying.

However, CWC finally passed the resolution condemning the Modi government's move. The party now wants that its stand on abrogation of Article 370 should reach out to the grass-root level.

To communicate the same, General Secretary in-charge, PCC Presidents, CLP leaders and heads of departments of AICC have been called for meeting in Congress war-room.

Earlier in the day, the Centre issued a notification stating that Article 370 of the Constitution, providing special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, "shall cease to be operative".

The Law Ministry came out with a gazette notification saying President Ram Nath Kovind has notified the revocation after the resolution to revoke Article 370 was passed by Lok Sabha yesterday, a day after it was passed by the Rajya Sabha.