Article 370’s removal will help defeat separatism, says PM Narendra Modi after Kashmir move

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said his government has taken a “historic” decision on Jammu and Kashmir by revoking Article 370, which has not given anything except separatism, corruption, terrorism and family rule. In his televised address to the nation, Modi said a new era has begun in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

“As a country and as a family we have taken a historic decision. One such arrangement because of which people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were bereft of various right and which was a big obstacle to their development.That system has been done away with,” he said, two days after Parliament approved abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir with legislature and Ladkah without an assembly.

PM Modi also asserted that the decision has amounted to the realisation of dreams of many of the distinguished leaders of the past. “The dream of Sardar Patel, B R Ambedkar, Syama Prasad Mukherjee, Atal Ji and crore of people has been realised.

He said no one has been able to justify how the Article 370 and Article 35A was benefitting people of the state. These provisions did not give anything except separatism, corruption, terrorism and family rule, Modi said.

Hitting out at Pakistan, PM Modi said that Islamabad also used Article 370 to spread terror in the Valley.

Reassuring the people of Kashmir, PM Modi said “I assure you will get to elect your representatives in a transparent way, that governance will continue as normal.”