New Delhi: An intense political war over Article 370 of the Constitution, which grants special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir, union minister Farooq Abdullah and his son Chief minister Omar Abdullah agitated after BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi called for a debate on the issue.

The parties across the political spectrum have come out strongly against Modi in terms of his comments made on Article 370 of the Constitution to be unacceptable.

Addressing his first rally in Jammu after being named the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, Modi had said his party wanted a discussion on various aspects of the constitutional provision, BJP leader UMA Bharti along with Modi’s stance, said there must be a debate on Article 370.

In regards to which chief minister Omar Abdullah said “I challenge him or any of his minions to reproduce verbatim the section of Article 370 that determines the Jammu and Kashmir state subject law.”

Omar’s father and Union Minister Farooq Abdullah said, “Even if Narendra Modi becomes prime minister for the next ten terms he will not be able to repeal Article 370 of the constitution. You talk of debate; BJP does not indulge in any debate.”

Legal experts are divided on the issue with the majority view being that Article 370 can’t be abrogated as it formed the basis on J&K’s accession to the Indian union. However, the BJP was caught in a catch-22 situation over the issue as the party has been demanding that the provision giving special status to Jammu and Kashmir should be abrogated.

Post-Modi’s comment, the party rejected claims of “softening” its stand on Article 370 but was supportive of Narendra Modi’s demand for a “rational” debate on the matter.