Condemning the scrapping of Article 370, Opposition on Monday said the BJP government, which is drunk on power to garner votes, has cut off the head of India by wiping out the identity of Jammu and Kashmir.
"In independent India after 1947, a very unfortunate thing has happened in Parliament today. BJP is drunk in power and to get votes, the BJP government has scrapped three-four things. BJP has played with Jammu and Kashmir's unity and integrity. BJP has wiped out the identity of Jammu and Kashmir," Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said in a joint press conference.
He said that Article 370 had kept united three regions -- Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh.
"A border state, which is culturally, geographically, historically and politically different, was bound together by Article 370. Jammu and Kashmir had people from different regions and community which were united because of Article 370 only," he said.
"They (BJP) have cut off the head of the country. Political parties will fight and stand with Jammu and Kashmir," added Azad in the presence of Congress' P Chidambaram, TMC leader Derek O' Brien, Manoj Jha from RJD, and others from opposition parties.
Congress leader P Chidambaram termed the Centre's move as "unprecedented".
"What the government has done is unprecedented. We anticipated misadventure, but in the wildest dreams, did not think they will take such a catastrophic step. If this can be done with Jammu and Kashmir, then let me caution you. It can be done with every other state in India," he said.
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Cautioning the nation, Chidamabaram said: "Every state can be broken up into two, three or more. Union Territories can be created out of a state by the mischievous and misinterpretation of Article 370."
"It will not stop here. What they have done is a Constitutional monstrosity. People of India must wake up to the grave danger that has set as an example today. This is the worst day in the Constitutional history of India," he said.
The reaction by opposition parties came close on the heels of Union Home Minister Amit Shah announcing in the Rajya Sabha the scrapping of Article 370, that had granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Shah's announcement was followed by a massive uproar in the Upper House with opposition MPs protesting in the Well of the House.
Shortly after Shah tabled the resolution in the Rajya Sabha to scrap Article 370, President Ram Nath Kovind came out with a notification -- The Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 2019 that will come into force immediately.
The order will supersede the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Order, 1954 as amended from time to time.
The Centre also declared Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory with the legislature.
Under the Jammu and Kashmir Re-organisation Bill, Ladakh will be taken out of the state and will be a Union Territory without legislature.
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