Congress MP Manish Tewari Calls J&K ‘Multicultural Crown Of India’, Takes A Swipe At BJP For ‘Dismembering’ It

The Congress on Thursday (31 October) took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government soon after Jammu and Kashmir ceased to be a state, saying that the "multicultural crown" of the country has been "dismembered" for ideological reasons.

"Multicultural crown of India - J&K has been dismembered for ideological reasons. Hindu Jammu, Muslim Kashmir and Buddhist Ladakh fused into one entity represented quintessence of idea of India.

"The BJP government 72-years post partition validates Two Nation Theory today defeating purpose of accession," Congress leader Manish Tewari tweeted on Thursday (31 October).

His remarks came after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories that came into effect at midnight on 30 October.

The government on 5 August abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to the state and also bifurcated it into two Union territories.

The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday (30 October) issued a notification on reorganisation of "Jammu and Kashmir into the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh".

The Congress has opposed the government's move to abrogate Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and the bifurcation of the state into two Union territories.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)