NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that Article 370 had “sown the seeds of separatism in the valley”, which ultimately evolved into terrorism. Praising the Modi government’s “strong resolution” that led to the abrogation of the article, Shah described the decision as the catalyst for establishing a “Naya Kashmir“.
Speaking at the launch of the book “J&K and Ladakh Through the Ages”, Shah said, “Article 370 sowed the seeds of separatism in the valley which later turned into terrorism. Article 370 spread a myth that the connection between Kashmir and India is temporary. There was terrorism there for decades and the country kept watching. After the abrogation of Article 370, terrorism is reduced by 70%. Congress can accuse us of whatever they want.”
He further described these articles as major roadblocks to Kashmir’s unity with the nation and hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s leadership in abrogating Articles 370 and 35A.
“PM Modi released a package of Rs. 80,000 crore. We not only controlled the terrorism, but the PM Modi government also demolished the terror eco-system from the valley. Article 370 and 35A, were the articles that stopped the unison of Kashmir with the rest of the country, Shah said.
“PM Modi’s strong resolution abrogated Article 370. This began the development of Kashmir along with the rest of the country,” he added.
On August 5, 2019, Modi government revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and reorganised the region into two Union Territories. This decision sparked a huge political and social transformation in a region that had enjoyed special rights since Independence.
Shah further highlighted India’s unique identity as a ‘Geo-cultural’ nation while challenging historical misconceptions propagated during colonial rule, stating that, “India is the only nation in the world which is a ‘Geo-cultural’ country and the boundaries are defined because of culture.”
“From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Gandhar to Odisha, and Bengal to Assam, we are connected because of our culture,” he added, emphasising how India’s unity is demonstrated through the shared cultural heritage across its diverse territories.
