New Delhi, Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party, which had run its 2019 Lok Sabha campaign to make Delhi a full state, on Monday said the situation in Delhi cannot be compared with Jammu and Kashmir.
Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had supported the Central government after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution which gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir and said the state will be split into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir with an Assembly and Ladakh without one.
Delhi too is a Union Territory with an Assembly, and Kejriwal had been demanding since he came to power that Delhi should be given full statehood.
In a statement, AAP said a peaceful state cannot be compared with a disturbed border state.
“Kashmir situation is 180 degree opposite to that of Delhi. We cannot compare Kashmir situation with that of Delhi and Pudducherri. 2/3 of the original Kashmir is under occupation of Pakistan and China. There were around 150 incidents of infiltration that occured last year in Kashmir. We cannot compare a peaceful state with a disturbed border state,” the AAP said in a statement.
It also said that it has supported and opposed the Central government based on issues.
“Whenever there is a national interest or a policy of public interest, we have supported it. When we feel a policy of government is anti-people we have opposed it.”
Giving examples, it said when Modi launched his flagship scheme of Swachh Bharat, Delhi was the first to support it.
“The Delhi Government even launched a helpline to support the scheme. We also supported and participated in Yoga Day. However, we were the first ones to oppose demonetisation and termed it the biggest scam.”
