New Delhi: Minutes after Home Minister Amit Shah moved a resolution seeking abrogation of Article 370 (3) on Monday, Vishva Hindu Parishad welcomed the government decision.
''We welcome the Govt.stand on abrogation of #Article370 of the Constitution. Our working president Alok Kumar will address media,'' a VHP twitter handle said.
However, PDP leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti lashed out at the government saying the move could trigger ''another partition along communal lines''.
''What did J&K get for acceding to India? Another partition along communal lines Our special status isn't a gift bestowed upon us. It's a right guaranteed by the same parliament. A contract entered into by J&K leadership & India. Today the very same contract has been violated,'' she said.
Also Read: Cairo multi-vehicle crash: At least 16 killed, 21 injured, pics inside
The way some sections of media & civil society are celebrating these developments with glee is disgusting & disconcerting, she said.
She charged that the government wants to ''change the demography of the only Muslim majority state in India, disempower Muslims to the extent where they become second class citizens in their own state.''
BJP MP from Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal welcomed the government decision and said at best only 15 percent of the people will be against it.
''I, on behalf of people of Ladakh will thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for taking a stand which is in the larger interest of India. Hardly 15 percent will make noise for some time but the people in general, will welcome it,'' he said.
The Congress party did not react so far but its twitter handle shared the video of Ghulam Nabi Azad's speech in the Rajya Sabha wherein the Leader of the Opposition said the people of Kashmir have always associated with the national mainstream and Article 370 was an instrument for that.