In an unfolding story, Home Minister Amit Shah has firmly stated that Article 370, which once granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, will never be reinstated. This announcement came during the unveiling of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) manifesto for the forthcoming Assembly elections in the region.
Mr Shah is in Jammu and Kashmir for a two-day visit.
Unveiling the manifesto for the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Home Minister Amit Shah has ruled out the restoration of Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state, and said the provision has now “become history.
The restoration of Article 370, which was abrogated in 2019, has been promised in the manifesto released by the National Conference, which is contesting the elections in an alliance with the Congress. The Assembly polls will be the first since 2014 and are also being keenly watched to gauge how the people of Jammu and Kashmir feel about the removal of the provision.
The state of Jammu and Kashmir was also bifurcated into the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh in 2019 and the government, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have given an assurance that statehood will be restored soon.
In Jammu and Kashmir on a two-day visit, Mr Shah said the former state has been very important to the BJP since Independence and the party has made efforts since then to keep it connected with India.
“Till 2014, the shadow of separatism and terrorism hung over Jammu and Kashmir. Various state and non-state actors tried to destabilise it and governments adopted a policy of appeasement. But, whenever the history of India and Jammu and Kashmir is written, the years between 2014 and 2024 will be written in golden letters for J&K,” the minister said in Hindi.
“There was a time when, under the shadow of Article 370, we saw governments bowing down to the demands of separatists and organisations like the Hurriyat. In these 10 years, Article 370 and 35-A (which gave the J&K legislature the right to define permanent residents and give them special privileges) have become part of the past. They are not part of the Constitution,” he added.
Mr Shah asserted that the removal of Article 370 under PM Narendra Modi on August 5, 2019, spurred development in the state and said he had read the National Conference’s manifesto as well as noted the Congress’ “silent support” for it.
“But I want to make it clear to the country: Article 370 has become history. It can never come back and we will never allow it to come back. Because Article 370 was what led to the youth being handed guns and stones in Kashmir,” he said.
On the Assembly polls, the minister said that the BJP’s manifesto for Jammu and Kashmir is aimed at a “peaceful, safe, developed and prosperous” J&K.
In a major political move, Home Minister Amit Shah has made it clear that the controversial Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, is now a thing of the past and will never be restored. This statement was made during the release of the BJP’s manifesto for the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
The End of Article 370
Article 370, which was abrogated in 2019, had given special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The National Conference, in alliance with Congress, has promised in their manifesto to restore it if they win the elections. But Amit Shah has categorically stated that this is not going to happen.
Key Assurances and Developments
The minister assured that the decision to remove Article 370 on August 5, 2019, was a turning point for the region. According to Shah, it has paved the way for significant development, distancing the state from a past marred by separatism and terrorism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders have also promised that Jammu and Kashmir will regain its statehood soon.
Historical Perspective
Amit Shah emphasized that the BJP has always valued Jammu and Kashmir since India’s Independence. He remarked that up until 2014, the region was plagued by separatism and terrorism, driven by both state and non-state actors. Governments then adopted extremely lenient policies. He assured that when the history of Jammu and Kashmir is written, the period from 2014 to 2024 will be highlighted with golden letters, signifying a new and prosperous era for the region.
Key Takeaways from the Speech
“There was a time under Article 370 when we saw governments yield to separatist demands,” Shah said in Hindi. Special provisions such as Article 35-A, which gave the J&K legislature the right to define permanent residents and grant them special privileges, are also now obsolete.
The Home Minister made it clear that these articles are no longer part of the Indian Constitution. They belong to the past, and the BJP will not let them make a comeback. According to Shah, the removal of Article 370 was crucial to stopping the youth in Kashmir from taking up arms and stones.
Future Prospects
Looking ahead to the elections, Amit Shah emphasized that the BJP’s manifesto for Jammu and Kashmir is centered on creating a “peaceful, safe, developed and prosperous” future for the region.
In closing, Amit Shah’s message was unequivocal: Article 370 is history, and there’s no turning back. The focus now is on the development and prosperity of Jammu and Kashmir, aligning with the BJP’s vision for the future.
