New Delhi, August 11: BJP MLA Gagan Bhagat, legislator from R S Pura constituency in Jammu district, has said that Article 35A is beneficial for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and added that "when this article is scrapped nobody will go to Kashmir." The MLA also said that "they will only attack the people of Jammu" and then claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) "wants to take seats by sacrificing Jammu and Kashmir," reported news agency ANI.

The Supreme Court (SC) on August 6, adjourned a scheduled hearing on PILs challenging the validity of Article 35, which gives special rights to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly to decide on important matters like permanent settlement in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as on the topic of acquiring property and availing scholarship aid.

But the BJP MLA Bhagat, was recently in news for the wrong reason, when his wife, on July 13, publicly alleged her husband of having an extra-marital affair with a college student and marrying her, in a fresh twist to a case that has seen the MLA appear before the disciplinary committee of the party.

Gagan Bhagat as been accused by his wife Monika Sharma that he is living with the student after marrying her. The student's father, an ex-servicemen, has also accused Bhagat of abducting his daughter from a college in Punjab.

The student and the legislator have denied the charges, calling them an attempt to defame him.

Sharma also negated Bhagat's claim he was paying her Rs 1 lakh a month and said "not a single penny was given by him despite signing a maintenance form before a judge in April".

She made an appeal to the BJP central leadership and also Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying a "daughter of your own family is seeking justice, not only for myself and my children but also for that girl who had just turned 19".

Sharma said she and the BJP MLA are married for 13 years.

Her accusations come a day after Bhagat appeared before the disciplinary committee of the BJP in Jammu to clarify his position. Bhagat and Sharma appeared before the committee separately amid protests led by the student's grandfather.

The legislator refuted the allegations and claimed he and his wife were in the process of getting divorced. His wife, however, countered Bhagat's stand and told reporters that though they were living separately for nearly 10 months, no suit has been filed before any court for divorce. (With Agency Inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 11, 2018 07:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).