BJP MLA slams own party, says Jammu people will be worst hit if 35A goes

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator said on Saturday that his party was raising the issue of Article 35A with an eye on 2019 Lok Sabha polls, but the people of Jammu and Kashmir will not let it be abrogated.

Gagan Bhagat, the BJP MLA from R S Pura assembly constituency, while snubbing his party for seeking the abrogation of Article 35A, praised the people of the Kashmir Valley for what he called "fighting a battle in support of the article".

"The BJP government at the Centre is raking up the issue with an eye on 2019 Lok Sabha polls. People of Jammu would be the worst sufferers if the article is revoked. There will be no jobs in Jammu. All the people sitting here will be left jobless," Bhagat said while addressing a public meeting.

"Kashmiris are fighting our battle while the people of Jammu are calling for the abrogation of the Article 35A. We all must raise our voice so that it reaches the court," the MLA said.