Government seeks to downplay row over comments on Article 370

NEW DELHI: The government on Tuesday sought to downplay a controversy kicked off by Union Minister Jitendra Singh by his comments on Article 370 which grants special status to J and K, saying it will take a "structured view" on the contentious issue.

"We will take a call...You saw what we said during the (election) campaign... The government will take a structure view on this," Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said after Cabinet meeting.

He was asked to comment on remarks by Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the PMO, that the Narendra Modi government is open to debate on merits and demerits of Article 370 for Jammu and Kashmir and would make efforts to "convince" the "unconvinced" by holding contact programmes with every section of society in the state.

Singh is the first-time MP from Jammu and Kashmir. BJP has been pushing for scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution, which grants special status to J and K but in its election manifesto the party talked about discussing the issue of abrogation with all stakeholders.