Demands safeguards like Himachal Pradesh, Northeast to protect local interests
DOGRA HERALD BUREAU
JAMMU, Dec 11
Th. Gulchain Singh Charak, former Minister and President DSS, has welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court on the abrogation of Article 370.
In a statement released here today, he said that the decision 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 the merger of the princely State of Jammu and Kashmir with India was actually achieved in October 1947, when Maharaja Hari Singh had 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 of 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.
