Even Ambedkar would have been slandered as pro-Pakistan by BJP, says ex-J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti

SRINAGAR: The BJP would have slandered even B R Ambedkar, the father of Indian Constitution, as pro-Pakistan had he been alive, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said Sunday, amidst criticism of Congress leader Digvijaya Singh over his remarks on Article 370.

Mehbooba said Article 370 -- which gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir before its operative provisions were nullified by the Centre in 2019 -- was granted by the Constitution drafted by Ambedkar, but it has been "subverted" by the Centre.

Her remarks came amidst growing criticism of the Congress and Singh over his purported comments in an audio chat on social media that his party will have a "relook" at Article 370 revocation and Jammu and Kashmir's lost statehood if it returns to power.

The BJP has said that Singh's remarks were part of a larger pattern of the party being "hand in glove" with Pakistan.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, who was a BJP ally for some time in Jammu and Kashmir, criticised the saffron party.

"Thank god Ambedkar ji isn't alive or else he too would be slandered as pro- Pakistan by BJP," she said on Twitter.

Singh had purportedly made the remark during a clubhouse conversation with a person, who the BJP said was a journalist of Pakistani origin.

"The decision of revoking Article 370 and reducing the statehood of J&K is extremely, I would say, sad decision, and the Congress party would certainly have a relook on the issue," Singh had said, according to excerpts of the clubhouse conversation available on social media.