Countdown begins to Cong-PDP showdown

Though Sharma said it was a routine courtsey call, sources said he discussed the situation arising out of the public outcry over the Bill under which a local woman loses her status as permanent resident if she marries an outsider. Sharma has also called a meeting of all his party MLAs, including ministers at his residence tomorrow.

‘‘Our strategy is to move a motion for referring the Bill to a select committee immediately after the Legislative Council meets on Thursday,’’ he said.

But Law Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig who moved the Bill disagreed: Sending the Bill to a select committee may be the Congress’s stand but not ours…In the Council, we will press for voting in favour of the Bill and its passing.’’

When asked if his party would support the Bill even losing Congress’s support, Beig said: ‘‘What else we can do in the matter?’’

Throwing her weight behind this was PDP president Mehbooba Mufti. ‘‘We are firmly behind the Bill,’’ she said accusing the National Conference of playing politics with it.

Even Bhim Singh’s Panthers Party which has threatened to withdraw support if the Bill is passed, is now a house divided. Three of its four legislators, including two ministers, have decided to defy Singh’s directive in case he withdraws support to the ruling coalition.

The Council has 15 NC members, followed by Congress (8), PDP (5), Panthers and CPI (one each). The National Conference has already issued a whip to its legislators to remain present in the House and vote in favour of the Bill. Despite denying a woman her permanent resident status if she marries an outsider, the Bill allows her to inherit ancestral property as per the succession law applicable to her faith.

The PDP does not want to compromise on the issue as it would be suicidal for it in the Valley where Article 370 is considered sacrosanct. The National Conference is also bound to exploit the issue during the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections by portraying PDP as implementing some ‘‘hidden agenda’’ to dilute the state’s special status.

Aware of the NC designs, Beig and Mehbooba say that the Bill is not ‘‘gender discriminatory’’, but it is ‘‘gender specific’’. While protecting the rights of women regarding inheritence of property, it ensures that the property inherited by them is not transferred or sold to a non permanent resident of the state, they added.

The state subject law has been in vougue for the last 75 years. And, since then, it has affected only a few women in the state, Beig pointed out.