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Farooq's autonomy plan based on 1952 agreement

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Despite the initial public indifference to his proposal for autonomy for the state of Jammu & Kashmir, Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has probably succeeded in turning the debate on the subject in the legislative assembly into a major issue.

From mainstream opposition parties to the separatist Hurriyat politicians, everyone is gunning for Dr Abdullah and trying to shoot his plan down.

The state's accession to the Union of India is guaranteed by Article 370 of the Insdian Constitution which confers special status on Jammu and Kashmir.

As per the terms of the Delhi Agreement of 1952 between the Centre and the state, only three subjects -- defence, foreign affairs and communication -- were to be with the Centre. The carefully prepared report of the State Autonomy Committee intends to revert to the pre-1953 position when just these three subjects remained with Delhi.

As per the Delhi agreement, the state was also supposed to have its own flag in addition to the Union Tricolour.

The SAC, headed by Housing Minister Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Shah, has strongly recommended a change of nomenclature of the head of the state back from governor to sadar-i-riyasat (president) and of the head of government from chief minister to prime minister with absolute powers.

According to the SAC's recommendations, the sadar-i-riyasat is to be elected by the state legislature. The SAC report clearly says that "no person who is not acceptable to the state government can be thrust on the state.

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