New Delhi, Jan 21: After training its guns at BJP on the disinvestment issue, its NDA partner Samata Party today fired a salvo at the saffron party questioning the rationale behind its demand for abrogation of Article 370 giving special status to Jammu and Kashmir saying that it could derail the peace process in Nagaland, which too enjoyed a similar status under Article 371.
"If BJP says abrogation of Article 370 is on its agenda for the assembly elections, then we want to know its position on Article 371 which gives special status to Nagaland," Samata Party spokesman Shambhu Shrivastwa told reporters here. BJP leaders said that here yesterday that the issue of abrogation of Article 370 will be among other issues it will raise during electioneering.

Seeking a clarification from BJP on this issue, he said by raising this demand, the party was causing damage to the ongoing peace process in Nagaland. "How will BJP justify its demand during its electioneering in Nagaland? I am afraid BJP has not taken all dimensions into account," he said.

He, however, said that as long as the NDA government at the Centre stuck to the national agenda for governance, Samata Party would not have any problems if BJP raised these issues in states where assembly elections are to be held next month.
Bureau Report