New Delhi: In a major U-turn, Rajya Sabha MP and now Supreme Court Bar Association president Kapil Sibal, who challenged the legality of the abrogation of Article 370 in the Supreme Court, on Monday said the abrogation of Article 370 was a "political decision" and that there was no need for it, as 99 percent of the laws of India were already operational in Kashmir.
"Abrogation of Article 370 had nothing to do with laws, it has something to do with your political decision,” he said.
He also said that the assembly elections in J&K are doubted unless and until opposition comes to power.
“Kashmir is not an India-Pakistan issue anymore but one between our government and the people of Kashmir,” he said.
The course of events was set when Article 370 of the Constitution was removed, he said while speaking at the launch of the book ‘Covert: The Psychology of War and Peace’ by A S Dulat, Asad Durrani, and Neil K Aggarwal, Sibal. Dulat is a former Secretary of the Research and Analysis Wing from 1999 to 2000, Asad Durrani is a former Director General of the Pakistan Army’s military intelligence and Aggarwal is a psychiatrist.
"You (government) want to tell the people of this country ‘See, we did it’," Sibal said.
“What impact it will have on the people of Kashmir we still don’t know. Perhaps only time will tell, and maybe you can explore this in your next book,” he added.
He said both India and Pakistan must end hostilities, asserting that he stated earlier that Pakistan is noth wearing bangles and could use atom bombs and asked wouldn’t the Indian side retaliate.
Abdullah said his remarks were given a "political twist" when he was talking about how the two sides must end the "hatred" between them.
