The Government decided to remove Article 370, which confersspecial status to Jammu and Kashmir, , said Home Minister Amit Shah inparliament this morning. The announcement came after Prime Minister NarendraModi held a meeting of his cabinet at his house this morning.
Jammu and Kashmir will also be "reorganized," said the Home Minister as talk builds of the state is divided into three distinct areas – Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
This was strongly opposed by the members in the Rajya Sabha. The BJP has all along been demanding to scrap of the Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir.
Meanwhile, Kashmir valley is completely disconnected as the government cut telephony and internet while all tourists were taken out from there. The reaction from there is not yet known. The authorities are expecting large scale protest and violence and all top political leaders were put under house arrest.
Article 370 of the Constitution is a 'temporary provision' which grants special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP has been opposing it for long and part of their every manifesto.
Article 370 says that except for defence, foreign affairs,communications and ancillary matters, parliament needed the Jammu and Kashmirgovernment's concurrence for all other laws.
Amit Shah today informed the Rajya Sabha about the decision amidstprotests from the opposition over turmoil in the state and an unprecedentedlockdown that included the house arrest of former chief ministers like OmarAbdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
The opposition was angry that it was not taken into confidence. Meanwhile, the state is calm but on the edge as in massive security, the build-up has seen nearly 35,000 troops posted in the state.
In an unusual order on Friday, the government asked Amaranth Yatra pilgrims and tourists to leave the state "immediately", sending parts of the state into a panic.
