While the rumours over the likelihood of abrogation of the Article 35-A have kept the state and especially Kashmir Valley on the edge, they have brought the different shades of political ideologies on a common platform. The legislation gives the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir exclusive rights over land holding and government jobs, something which has become an eyesore for some people in mainland India who want to effect a demographic change in the state. Sadly, the ruling party has made it clear that it will do away with all the provisions in the constitution that reserve a special place for Jammu and Kashmir in the Union of India. Union home minister Amit Shah and defence minister Rajnath Singh have spoken in unequivocal terms that the BJP was for abrogation of Article 35-A and Article 370. Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of a function in Srinagar on July 31, senior BJP leader Ram Madhav said the Prime MInister Narendra Modi will take decision on the issue which will be in the “interest of J&K”. Major regional political players as well as separatists parties have been arguing that the abrogation of these legislations will be the final nail in coffin for the idea of mainstream in the Valley. Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti earlier warned the BJP-led Centre that there will be no one to uphold the flag of the country in Kashmir if the Article 35-A is abrogated. Now Ms Mufti has led the effort to bring all the regional mainstream parties on a common platform to chalk out ways and means to stop the assault on the state’s special status. Her overtures to the National Conference have been received positively by the party’s working president Omar Abdullah and even Sajad Lone-led Peoples Conference and Peoples United Front comprising of former bureaucrat Shah Faesal and Engineer Rashid have supported the idea of a joint front for fighting the forces inimical to the special identity of the state of Jammu and Kashmir under the Indian Constitution. In the atmosphere of gloom and uncertainty that has engulfed Kashmir since the past month or so, this is a positive development, especially at a time when all kinds of forces and machinations have been put to work to fragment Kashmiris. A joint fight against the forces who want the Centre to abrogate the Article 35-A will send a strong message that Kashmiris can’t be divided on the basis of their political ideologies when it comes to the question of their identity.