Scrapping Article 370 appropriate, timely: Guj Cong leader

Senior Congress leader Bharatsinh Solanki on Wednesday came out in support of the Modi government's decision to scrap Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, calling the move as "appropriate" and "timely". The former Union minister, however, said that the issues faced by the people, like unemployment and inflation, should also be addressed.

With his stand, Solanki has joined several other Congress leaders who have come out in support of the abrogation of Article 370. "The decision appears appropriate and timely, but people should not face trouble and everyone in the country should get an equal opportunity," Solanki told reporters.

He was replying to query on his views over the government's decision to repeal Article 370 of the Constitution, which grants special status to J&K. "Article 370 and Article 35 (A) are a matter of importance, but then the government should pay more attention to issues like unemployment, inflation and others," the former Gujarat Congress president said.

A number of Congress leaders across the country have gone against the party's stand in Parliament on abrogation of provisions of Article 370. The Congress has strongly opposed the move and the bill to split the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.

Going against the party's stand, senior Congress leaders Janardan Dwivedi, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Deepender Hooda have voiced support to the move. The Congress has convened a meeting on Friday of all its general secretaries, in-charge of states, and state party unit chiefs to discuss the issue in detail..