The Supreme Court on Monday asked National Conference MP Mohammad Akbar Lone to file an affidavit stating that he owes allegiance to the Constitution of India, PTI reported.

The development came after “Roots in Kashmir”, a Kashmiri Pandits’ organisation, told the Constitution Bench hearing petitions against the abrogation of Article 370 that Lone has been accused of raising “pro-Pakistan slogans” in the Assembly of the erstwhile state in 2018, according to Live Law.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud is hearing over 20 petitions challenging the Central government’s decisions to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and split the erstwhile state into two Union Territories in 2019.

On Monday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Central government, had demanded that Lone, a petitioner in the case, file an affidavit pledging his allegiance to the Constitution and saying he opposed Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the region, reported The Indian Express.

Mehta argued that Lone was not an ordinary man but an MP and that it was not enough that he only expressed remorse, reported The Indian Express.

“He [Lone] must say I oppose and object to terrorism and any secessionist activity by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir or elsewhere,” Mehta told the Bench. “It must come on record.”

Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing on behalf of Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay who has opposed the petitions, argued that Lone should issue an apology.

“…if he is invoking the Constitution of India, then he can’t stand outside the Constitution of India,” Dwivedi said, according to The Indian Express.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, who is representing Lone, said that he disapproves if any such statements made by his client. “Ask him to file an affidavit,” Sibal said, according to Live Law. “I have nothing to do with it.”