Shah’s J&K comments provocative, will further alienate people: CPI(M)

PTI, NEW DELHI: The CPI(M) on Saturday demanded an early assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir and alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah's comments in the Lok Sabha a day ago regarding the state were "provocative" and would alienate the people further.

The Left party said if the conditions were conducive for holding the Lok Sabha election in the state, there was no reason to believe that the same situation prohibits the holding of assembly election.

"The Union Home Minister's intervention in Parliament while moving the (resolution for) extension of President's Rule for another six months in Jammu & Kashmir was provocative leading to further alienation of the people of the state," the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said in a statement.

"This is not healthy for India's unity and integrity. Alienation only feeds growth of terrorism, which the country is unitedly determined to defeat," it added.

Shah had said on Friday that Article 370 of the Constitution, which provides for special status to the state, was "temporary in nature" and "not permanent".