Hearing on 35A in SC Deferred to January 2019, People Continue to Express Dissent

The Supreme Court on Friday deferred the hearing, over the clutch of petitions challenging the validity of Article 35A of the Constitution of India, to January 2019. Following the requests made by the Centre and the state to hear the matter after the local body elections, the Bench of Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud decided to take up the matter after the Panchayat polls are concluded in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani has asked people to boycott the upcoming local body polls and panchayat elections in the valley. The local body elections are expected to take place by the end of this year. However, the anxiety around Article 35A has trigged several protests and shutdowns across the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Dissent in the marriage invite

People are not just protesting on the streets, but are using different forms to show resentment. Since a few days, newspapers in Kashmir are filled with classifieds announcing the cancellation of the marriage, as the day collided with the hearing of the case related to the Article 35A. The newspapers on August 30 registered almost 70 per cent of the space with the “Invitation cancellation” advertisements.

One of the invitations read, “The marriage ceremony of my son SHUAIB MOHAMMAD MANDOO scheduled for 30 & 31 of August 2018. In this connection, we have invited guests for 30 & 31 August 2018. Due to the prevailing situation, we have decided to cancel the invitation. The invitation cards are cancelled. Inconvenience is regretted. However, marriage ceremony and Nikah Khawani will be held as per schedule with simplicity.”

Even the marriage invites are filled with dissent. The marriage card of Bilal Ahmad of Kupwara reads, “In-sha-Allah, Article 35-A is our identity, defend abrogation of Article 35-A.” The marriage card went viral overnight, as the commoners reinforced their discontent over the attempt to “revoke the article.”

Meanwhile, the posters urging people to ‘Defend 35A’ have been posted on the shops, on the doors of the restaurants, and on the walls.

People stand united

People across the political and religious divides have come together to protest against the purported attempt to revoke Article 35A by the Centre. The political parties too have come together on this issue, and nearly 27 traders’ bodies have showed resentment by organising protests. 

“The issue of article 35A touches directly the personal lives of the state subjects in Kashmir. So that is why you see everyone voluntarily protesting against any attempts of its abrogation. Whether it is people cancelling their marriages or shutting down their businesses irrespective a call for protest. I think abrogation of Article 35A has become a pre-election issue for the BJP, so you will see a lot of buzz over it till the upcoming general elections,” said Fahad Shah, editor of The Kashmir Walla.