Repeal of Article 370: bouquets and brickbats

New Delhi : India on Monday briefed envoys of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council about its decision to scrap Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcate the state into two union territories.

Government sources said envoys of a number of other countries were also briefed by senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs on the decisions on Jammu and Kashmir.

In the light of interest expressed by members of the diplomatic community, senior MEA officials briefed the envoys of several countries, including of P5 nations.

NSA Ajit Doval was on his way to the Kashmir valley on Monday along with other senior security officials to review the situation on ground. Doval had earlier visited Srinagar in last week of July before the implementation of decision to revoke Article 370.

JD-U leader Ajay Alok, appealed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is also the party president, to reconsider opposition to revocation of Article 370, and said the party should review its stand.

"In the interest of the country, I appeal Kumar to reconsider the JD-U''s stand on Article 370 and support its scrapping," Alok, former JD-U spokesperson, said.

Soon after the JD-U expressed its opposition to the move to scrap Article 370, Alok said the party should take a decision keeping in view emotions of people of Bihar, and Jammu, Kashmir and Laddakh.

Shortly after Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday announced the scrapping of Article 370, additional troops were rushed to the Valley to tackle any untoward incident. News agency ANI reported that the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force have been put on high alert.

Earlier inputs said that nearly 8000 paramilitary troops were airlifted from different parts of the country to the Kashmir Valley. The troops were airlifted from different states, including Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Assam.

The Union Home Ministry issued an advisory to all states to put security forces and law enforcement agencies on maximum alert.

The order was sent to Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories, Directors General of Police and the Commissioner of Delhi Police.

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal stoked controversy saying Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was ready to give Kashmir to Pakistan.

"Sardar Patel sahab was Home Minister then. He brought article 370. At that time it was discussed that Sardar Patel was ready to give Kashmir to Pakistan," Sibal said in the Rajya Sabha while speaking on the government's proposed move to repeal Article 370.

PDP MPs Mir Fayaz and Nazir Ahmed Laway tore up the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha, leading to their ouster from the House.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu directed the marshals to remove the slogan-shouting PDP members from the Rajya Sabha.

The two MPs had also protested outside Parliament prior to the start of proceedings. Fayaz tore up his own dress during the protest.