Union of the state: The Kashmir solution could well be extended to include other parts of the country 😜

The Big Boss and his Shah-en-Shah, patting their backs in congratulation for finding the perfect solution for Kashmir.

Big Boss: You know, your idea of turning the state of Kashmir into a Union territory was just perfect.

Shah-en-Shah: You are too kind, Bossbhai. But more could be done.

BB: More needs to be done in Kashmir than turning it into a Union territory? You mean put it under President’s Rule? Or even Prime Minister’s Rule?

S-en-S: Well, that last bit is already a de facto done deal. No, what I meant was that more could be done by way of turning more states into Union territories, particularly the few remaining states which are under the occupation of the Opposition, like Mamatabhen’s Bengal.

BB: I think she prefers to be called Mamatadi, not bhen. But how can we turn such states into Union territories? What arguments could we use for doing such a thing?

S-en-S: Two very simple arguments. Aren’t all states part of the Union of India? And isn’t the Union of India one indivisible territory? Therefore, all states, per se, can be deemed to be Union territories, QED.

BB: That’s all very well. But won’t there be Articles in the Constitution that don’t allow states to be turned into Union territories at the drop of a diktat?

S-en-S: Articles, sharticles. Don’t newspapers and magazines also have articles, though spelt with a small ‘a’ and not a capital ‘A’.  And isn’t it the job, indeed the duty, of the editor of the newspaper or magazine to keep changing the articles constantly. Imagine a daily newspaper with the same old articles appearing in it every day, day after day. How boring.

BB: So like newspaper articles, constitutional Articles can also be changed?

S-en-S: Sure. Or even scrapped, like Article 370.

BB: Gosh. Imagine all those Opposition-wala states being turned into Union territories. How hunky-dory!

S-en-S: Hunky, as you say, dory. In affairs of state, you could call it the ideal state of affairs …