The Congress on Saturday warned the central government to refrain from taking any action that may push Jammu and Kashmir into a deep crisis. It said that reports suggest that the Centre may be preparing for ‘some misadventure’ but any misadventure will be fraught with serious consequences.

In a press briefing, former finance minister P Chidambaram said: “I don’t wish to anticipate what misadventure this government will embark upon. Some people know that the Home Ministry is preparing for some misadventure. Each issue is fraught with very serious legal and political consequences…But I would warn them not to embark upon some misadventure.”

Another Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should issue a statement on what is happening in Kashmir. “If there is no concern, why troops buildup. Never before in history, Amarnath yatra was suspended. Since the Parliament is in session, we will demand the Prime Minister to issue a statement on Kashmir,” he said while responding to a question.

He further said that the Centre wants to revoke Article 35 A because it will get some votes. Azad added that Jammu and Kashmir is not the only state where outsiders cannot buy land. “You cannot buy land in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and eight states in the northeast. Why they (Centre) are not doing away this provision in these states. Because they won’t get votes… If you break the bridge, more dispute will arise,” the Congress leader said.

Earlier in the day, Congress said that its Jammu and Kashmir Policy Planning Group met and expressed concern about the actions and reports emanating from the government which is “causing a panic in the general populace”.

Informing about the meeting, the grand old party said that the Group discussed the widespread fear and apprehensions in the minds of the people across the state of J&K about government’s intentions of abolishing Articles 35-A and 370. “They reiterated the considered policy of the Congress party and asked the Govt to maintain the constitutional guarantee given to the State of Jammu & Kashmir,” the Congress said in a statement.