Cutting across party lines, BJP, Panthers Party, Jammu-based Dogra Sadar Sabha (DSS), Kashmiri Pandit Sabha, Aam Aadmi Party and various other organisations on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court verdict upholding abrogation of Article 370, which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

BJP’s chief spokesman Sunil Sethi urged everyone to respect the Supreme Court’s verdict. The historic judgement has put to rest the questions raised on the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India, he said.

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Panthers Party leader Harshdev Singh, who was one of the petitioners on the issue in the SC, said that the verdict has come for restoration of democracy in J&K. The court has provided succour to the people of J&K where “democracy was crushed, trampled and nearly brought to the end,” Singh said.

Welcoming the verdict, DSS chief Thakur Gulchain Singh Charak sought safeguards like that in the neighbouring Himachal Pradesh and North-East to protect the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Charak, former Minister, said that the verdict of the Apex Court has put to rest all possible alternate thought processes in this regard and cemented the integration of the Union Territory into the Union of India.

He said that merger of the princely State of Jammu and Kashmir with India was actually achieved in October 1947, when Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession transferring the reins of power to the central Government as in the case of all other, over 562, States.

However, the subsequent insertion of the temporary Article 370 in the Constitution of India served to dilute the merger somewhat and also became the cause for several other problems.

He strongly urged the government, however, to institute safeguards in the law to protect the interests of the people of the Union Territory, like Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, as enacted by the State of Himachal Pradesh, which puts certain restrictions on persons from outside the State from buying agricultural land there or any other law appropriate to the conditions and circumstances of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Kashmiri Pandit Sabha hailed the judgment of the Supreme Court and also welcomed the suggestion made by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul that there is an urgent necessity to constitute a truth and reconciliation commission to create a congenial environment in the strife torn Kashmir valley. This will pave the way for return and rehabilitation of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community which needs to be done sooner than later.

AAP leader Amit Kapoor termed the Supreme Court’s verdict “historic” and welcomed the direction to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and hold elections by September 2024.