Article 35-A: PDP’s reluctance to join legal battle

With National Conference, CPI (M) Secretary M Y Tarigami, Kashmir High Court Bar Association and several civil society groups chosing to join the legal battle against the petitions filed for abrogation of article 35-A the Peoples Democratic Party which till yesterday was an ally of BJP has chosen not to file any application of intervention despite having in the party a legal luminary like Muzaffar Hussain Baig. Though PDP claims that the government headed by its president Mehbooba Mufti chose to engage the top lawyers considered to be the top constitutional experts of the country and paid them a whooping amount of rupees one crore as counseling fee for contesting the case against article 35-A but after the fall of the government the party has restrained its war against article 35-A nearly to press statements. Press statements won’t work unless and until the battle is not fought in the highest court room of the country. PDP leaders taking pride in having a top constitutional expert of national repute like Muzaffar Hussain Baig in their party is unfortunately showing reluctance to join legal battle against article 35-A in the top court of the country. Case has not to be fought in a football ground or a tennis court but in the highest court room of the country and PDP’s top leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig being one of the top constitutional experts of the country should have in fact headed the PDP’s legal battle against the petitions filed for abrogation of article 35-A. Better late than never, still time is left for PDP to depute its senior most leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig for leading the legal fight against the petitions filed for abrogation of article 35-A in the highest court room of the country.