Article 370 temporary, not relevant in today's situation: Deepender Hooda

Coming out in support of the BJP-led central government's move to repeal Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda on Wednesday said the constitutional provision imposed by Jawahar Lal Nehru was "temporary" and not relevant in the present day.

Speaking to , Hooda said, "My opinion is that in today's situation Article 370 is no more relevant. When the Article was imposed, Nehruji had said that it is temporary. I think for the unity of the country and development of Kashmiris, it is the right decision."

"It is the government's responsibility to implement an atmosphere of peace and trust. My stand in the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on the issue has been cleared," he added.

The former parliamentarian, however, said the government seemed to be in a hurry as the consent of all political parties and local leaders in Kashmir was not considered.

"All political parties' views must be taken into consideration and tries to bring all leaders under one umbrella to bring this change. So far it seems the government is in a hurry and not following constitutional and democratic approach to take consent of everyone. I hope the entire country comes together to resolve this," he said.

A Congress Working Committee meeting was held on Tuesday, during which a resolution was passed stating the party deplores the "unilateral, brazen and totally undemocratic manner" in which the Article 370 was abrogated.

Sources had revealed that some young leaders mainly RPN Singh, Jitin Prasad, Deepender Hooda and Jyotiraditya Scindia cautioned the party about public sentiments in favour of the BJP.

According to sources, the four leaders said that Congress should consider the sentiments outside Jammu and Kashmir.

The Lok Sabha passed the Jammu and Kashmir (Reorgsation) Bill, 2019 with 370 votes in favour and 70 against it. The bill strips Jammu and Kashmir's status of a state and converts it into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir with a legislature and Ladakh without legislature.

It also passed resolution revoking Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, with Home Minister Amit Shah stating that history will decide if the decision to repeal the constitutional provision is right or wrong.

Going against the party's stand, a number of Congress leaders had supported the Centre's move on the amendment of provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution in Jammu and Kashmir, including Hooda, Jyotiradtiya Scindia, and Janardan Dwivedi, among others.

( With inputs from ANI )