Article 370 is 'jugular vein' of the bond between Jammu and Kashmir, Centre: CPI(M)

SRINAGAR: CPI(M) today described Article 370 of the Constitution as " jugular vein" of the relationship between Jammu and Kashmir and the Centre and said if the Constitutional provision is weakened the bond will also follow the suit.

"Article 370 is a jugular vein of the relationship between Jammu and Kashmir and the Union of India and if this jugular vein is weakened, the relationship would be weakened," CPI(M) state secretary M Y Tarigami told reporters here.

He condemned the "provocative overtures" about abrogation of the article. "Such provocations are aimed to rouse passions ahead of Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir," he said. He alleged the successive governments at the Centre have "weakened the relationship between the state and the Union which was created under specific historical conditions".

"Article 370 is just a name only. It has been made hollow by issuing Presidential orders at different times," he said. "If we talk to constitutional experts, it becomes clear that all those Presidential orders are unconstitutional and that is the main reason which has broken the trust of the people here," he said.

"The central government has to make a choice that if they want to reach out to the people of Kashmir and seek solution to this vexed historical problem, they should not gamble," he said.

He said his party will mobilise public opinion on the issue and will not allow the present regime to do anything which can "further alienate" the people of the state.