SC only institution that can uphold supremacy of Constitution: Mehbooba Mufti

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said the Supreme Court was the only institution left in the country that can ensure that India is governed as per its Constitution.

Her remarks came as the Supreme Court commenced hearing on the petitions challenging the Centre's decision to revoke Article 370 that provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing media persons at the PDP office here, she said the entire world was watching the proceedings before the Supreme Court.

"Entire world is watching Supreme Court proceedings in Article 370. Jammu and Kashmir, despite being a Muslim majority state, rejected the two-nation theory based on religion and joined hands with India. We were granted assurances under the Constitution. These guarantees were not given by China, Pakistan or any neighbouring country," the former chief minister said.

"The Supreme Court will have to see how the institutions in the country have been subverted and the apex court remains the only institution that can save the Constitution. BJP is not only playing with the Constitution based on its brute majority in Parliament but ignoring everything including the SC rulings. They brought an ordinance after SC ruling on Delhi which is unconstitutional," she added.

Mehbooba said the Supreme Court will have to take a bold stand for upholding the majesty of the Constitution.

"The Supreme Court is the only institution left that can save the Constitution and the country. The question is 'are you ready to take risks'? Is the Supreme Court ready to take risks like the Allahabad High Court did at the time of Indira Gandhi (in 1975)?" she asked.

She was referring to the June 12, 1975, verdict delivered by Justice Jagmohanlal Singh of the Allahabad High Court that had convicted the then prime minister of electoral malpractices.

On the Article 370 petitions, the PDP president said the apex court has to decide between the Constitution and BJP's agenda.

"There are only two sides -- either you are with the Constitution of India and the guarantees given to people of Jammu and Kashmir or against India. I am talking about the country, not the opposition alliance.

"The SC has to decide whether this country will be run as per the Constitution of India or as per the communal agenda of BJP, " she said.

"They are trying to replicate Manipur situation in the entire country," she alleged.

Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday pinned hope on "positive outcome" of the petitions challenging abrogation of Article 370 in the Supreme Court.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who will lead the arguments on behalf of petitioners challenging the abrogation, said he will continue his submissions till Thursday.

"I express my sincere gratitude to Sibal for his historical, fearless and eloquent presentation and arguments before the court against abrogation of Article 370 today," Azad said.

"We have been unwaveringly fighting from Parliament to the Supreme Court in pursuit of justice for people of Jammu and Kashmir," Azad said in a statement released by his party in Jammu.

The statement said the DPAP chairman pinned hope on "positive outcome as the Supreme Court is expeditiously hearing petitions before it."