Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Tuesday directed his cadre and supporters to get ready for an agitation in case the Article 35A of the Constitution is tinkered with by the Supreme Court.
Article 35A defines the permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir and bars outsiders from settling in the state, and prevents them from buying properties and take part in elections.
The article has been challenged in the apex court by an RSS backed NGO on the contention that the article has been inserted in the Constitution by a mere Presidential Order and should be struck down.
Mirwaiz, who is the chairman of a faction of Hurriyat Conference, is considered a moderate. He is also part of the Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) which also includes Syed Ali Shah Geelani of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and Yasin Malik of pro-Independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).
After a meeting of Hurriyat, Mirwaiz tweeted: “No attempt will be tolerated to change the disputed nature and demographic character of Jammu and Kashmir.”
At the meeting, Mirwaiz urged the Centre to respond positively to the dialogue offer by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan who is tipped to be the next prime minister of the neighbouring country.
“We urge Govt of India to respond positively to this offer and start a meaningful dialogue with Pakistan and people of Kashmir to end hostilities and give peace a real chance,” Mirwaiz tweeted.
On June 29, at Geelani's residence at Hyderpora in Srinagar, the JRL also warned of an agitation in case the article was struck down. The Supreme Court has listed the hearing of the case on August 6.
A civil society group has called for a shutdown on August 6 to protest against alleged “legal and constitutional onslaughts” on the article.
The central government has refused to defend the article in the court and has said there is no need to have a debate on it.
A large section of Kashmiris feel that the RSS and BJP have taken the judicial route to weaken the special status of the state so as to clear the way for demographic change in the strife-torn state
The business community in Kashmir has also warned of dire consequences in case the article is declared null and void.