Ahead of the four PDP ministers visiting New Delhi to seek more legal support for protecting Article 35-A, PDP law minister and a senior party leader, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, met on Wednesdayevening to discuss legalities and garnering further support for the article.
Sources told KNS that PDP law minister, Abdul Haq Khan, called on the senior party leader and MP Baig at his residence yesterday evening and the two leaders discussed the row over the article and the ways for safeguarding and contesting it in the Supreme Court.
“The two leaders discussed all the legal dimensions and the ways to strongly contest the case in the Supreme Court,” a source told KNS.
Reports said that four PDP minister are being sent to Delhi on Friday to explore further “legal support” for the state government in Supreme Court on Article 35A.
They are also expected to explain to leaders at the Centre the “devastating implications” in case the constitutional provision is struck down and ensure the Union government backs the state’s stance in the apex court, Indian Express reported.
Besides the Law Minister, his senior Cabinet colleagues Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu, Horticulture Minister Syed Basharat Bukhari and Information, Food and Supplies Minister Choudhary Zulfikar will travel to Delhi.
“We are going to Delhi on 18th (August) to see what can be done to put up a strong defence to our case,’’ state Law Minister Abdul Haq Khan said. “We will meet people and seek further legal opinion.”
He said the J&K government’s talks with the Centre have been “very fruitful”, and that PDP and BJP, coalition partners in the state, are talking at every level.