It's a third historic mistake: Owaisi

Hyderabad: Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday termed the Centre's move as "third historic mistake".

Speaking on the bill to revoke Article 370 in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Owaisi said in the past two mistakes were committed regarding J&K. One was in 1953 when the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru arrested Sheikh Abdullah and the other mistake was in 1987 when the polls were rigged.

Opposing the bill, he said the decision to create two Union Territories in place of a full-fledged state of J&K was not correct. "It is dishonourbale. Are you planning to settle outside people in the Valley the way Israelis [did in certain settlements in West Bank]," asked the MP.

Alleging that the ruling BJP had broken a constitutional promise made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir by granting special status under Article 370, he said: "the BJP has definitely lived up to electoral promise in their manifesto, but you have not lived up to your constitutional duties. Removing special status to the J&K state is breach of a constitutional promise."

The MP countered Union Home Minister Amit Shah's argument that Article 370 was temporary in nature. Justice Nariman led constitutional bench has made it clear that it was a permanent one,he said.

He demanded that the Centre to lift curfew in Kashmir and wanted to know why the people were not allowed to come out if division of J&K is considered as a day to celebrate.