Punjab CM takes potshot at AAP over Article 370 issue

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday took a dig at the Aam Aadmi Party when one of its MLAs sought to criticise the Centre for scrapping Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

During Zero Hour on the third day of Punjab assembly session here, Amarinder Singh questioned AAP legislator Kanwar Sandhu why he was opposing the Centre's decision when his party president has already supported the abrogation of the Constitutional provision. Seeking to draw the House's attention to the Centre's decision of abrogating the Article 370 and stripping Jammu and Kashmir of its special status, while bifurcating it into two Union territories, Sandhu termed the Modi government's move as "unconstitutional" and an "attack" on the federal structure of the country.

As Sandhu was busy criticising the Centre, the chief minister stood up and said AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has already supported it. "I do not understand one thing that (AAP) president Kejriwal ji is supporting it and he (Sandhu) is speaking against it. Which side you are?" asked Amarinder, triggering a guffaw in the House. Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday had supported the Centre's decisions on Jammu and Kashmir.

"We hope this will bring peace and development in the state," Kejriwal had said in his tweet. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday had moved a resolution in the Rajya Sabha to abolish Article 370 after the President issued a notification and also moved a bill to divide the state into two Union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.