NEW DELHI – There is currently no proposal to scrap Article 370 which givesspecial status to Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister of State for HomeHansraj Gangaram Ahir informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Ahir was replying to a written question by BJP MP Ashwini Kumar, who askedwhether the government was committed to scrapping Article 370 of theConstitution, PTI has reported.

The MP from Karnal in Haryana also asked what was the present status andthe procedure laid down for scrapping Article 370.

“There is currently no such proposal under consideration of theGovernment,” Ahir said in his one-line reply.

Scrapping Article 370 forms part of the BJP’s political manifesto. However,the party, in alliance with the regional PDP, remained silent on the demandin the Agenda of Alliance agreed to in 2015.

In a separate question on statements made by the Centre’s interlocutorDineshwar Sharma on violence in Jammu and Kashmir, Ahir said Sharma hadrecently visited border areas in view of recent cease-fire violations andsuggested some measures for the local population. These included shiftingresidents and constructing bunkers.

The question was asked by Congress’ Jyotiraditya Scindia and Gaurav Gogoi.

Ahir said the government was keen to bring peace in the state and was readyto hold dialogue with all sections of society who shun the path of violence.

The government has also continuously encouraged policies to bring youth tothe mainstream. These include providing employment opportunities to weanthem away from militancy, he said.