New Delhi, Aug 5 (IANS) As the nation marked the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 on Wednesday, Union Ministers and BJP leaders hailed the move as a historic step towards national integration and development of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
Speaking to IANS, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said that Articles 370 and 35A were discriminatory and unjust provisions that hindered the progress of J&K.
“Article 370 and Article 35A were discriminatory and unjust provisions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi abolished them on August 5, 2019. After that, the pace of development in Jammu and Kashmir accelerated. Both heritage and development received a boost. People got employment, and for the first time, they witnessed such extensive infrastructure development. Most people there are happy. Only some political parties pursuing their own political agenda have a problem,” Meghwal said.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh described August 5 as a historic day for the country. He said the abrogation of Article 370 fulfilled the vision of national unity and integration.
Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Union Minister Giriraj Singh claimed, “Mehbooba Mufti is a terrorist. I said this because she sided with terrorists for so long; she spent a brief period with us, and we tried to set her on the right path, but when she didn’t change, we let her go. This is a historic day for India. Just as we celebrate August 15th and January 26th, this is a similarly momentous day, one that realised the dreams of Sardar Patel and the aspirations of countless Indians… Now, there is one nation, one flag, one prime minister, and one Constitution.”
BJP MP Damodar Aggarwal also welcomed the decision, stating that the removal of Article 370 was a major step towards strengthening national unity.
“Despite being an integral part of India, Jammu and Kashmir remained isolated because of Article 370. Today, we can proudly and confidently say that the removal of Article 370 is a significant achievement for the country’s national integration,” he said.
Meanwhile, in Srinagar, leaders and workers of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), led by Cabinet Minister Sakina Itoo, staged a protest at the party office, demanding the restoration of Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. Police prevented the protesters from moving outside the office premises in order to maintain law and order.
In Delhi, National Conference MPs also staged a protest in Parliament, demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
JKNC Rajya Sabha MP Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan termed August 5 a “black day” for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Today is a black day for us. Seven years ago, on this day, our statehood was taken away from us,” he said.
August 5, 2019, is recorded in history as the day Article 370, which granted special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir, was revoked through a Presidential Order. The move also led to the reorganisation of the erstwhile state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
While the BJP observes August 5 as a day marking Jammu and Kashmir’s integration with the national mainstream, the ruling Jammu and Kashmir National Conference commemorates it as a “black day”.
The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has also continued to demand the restoration of Article 370. On the eve of the anniversary, PDP leaders, led by party president Mehbooba Mufti, held a candlelight march in Srinagar. Party members alleged that Mufti’s daughter, Iltija Mufti, was detained during the protest.
Although Assembly elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir in September 2024, the Centre has not announced any timeline for the restoration of statehood. Soon after assuming office, the Omar Abdullah-led government passed a Cabinet resolution seeking the restoration of statehood. This was followed by a resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly calling for the restoration of the region’s special status.
–IANS
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