Cong calls for meeting to discuss Article 370 as internal dissent emerges

After some Congress leaders came out in support of the Centre's decision to scrap provisions of Article 370, the party has convened a meeting on Friday of all its general secretaries, in-charge of states, and state party unit chiefs to discuss the issue in detail.

Congress Legislative Party leaders in state assemblies, AICC department heads and all MPs of the party along with frontal organisation heads will meet in the national capital on Friday evening and strategise the party's stand on the issue moving forward.

Sources said the AICC general secretary organisation has sent a letter to all senior office bearers to attend the meeting.

 

They added that top Congress leaders would attend this meeting. It comes a day before the Congress Working Committee is to meet to decide the new party chief.

At Tuesday's meeting of the CWC, the party deplored the "unilateral, brazen and totally undemocratic" manner in which provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution were abrogated and the state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated by the government into two Union Territories.

Many young leaders of the Congress also voiced their opinion supporting the government's action on Article 370 at the meeting but top leaders said they respected each one's sentiments. The CWC later adopted the resolution unanimously.

At a meeting of the Congress's highest decision-making body, the party accused the BJP of violating constitutional law, the states' rights, parliamentary procedure and democratic governance.

A number of Congress leaders across the country have gone against the party's stand in Parliament on abrogation of provisions of Article 370.

The Congress has strongly opposed the move and the bill to split the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.

Going against the party's stand, senior Congress leaders Janardan Dwivedi, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Deepender Hooda have voiced support to the move.

In an embarrassment to the party, another leader Anil Shastri said the Congress should sense the mood of the people before taking a stand, noting they were with the government on this.