Recently in an interview with News18, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has issued a challenge to the opposition, particularly the Congress party, regarding the restoration of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
In response to statements from opposition leaders declaring their intent to bring back Article 370, Modi emphasized that such a move is beyond their jurisdiction and not within the realm of possibility.
Modi asserted that a thorough understanding of Bharat’s constitution and federal structure would dissuade anyone from making such claims. He cleared that even as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, he would not have the authority to reinstate Article 370.
According to the Prime Minister, the decision to abrogate Article 370 was within the ambit of the Centre and state governments, and any notion to the contrary is misleading to the public.
Challenging the Congress directly, Modi dared the party to hold a press conference and declare their intention to restore Article 370.
He criticized the Congress for its rhetoric about the Constitution and its architect, Babasaheb Ambedkar, highlighting the historical absence of the Indian Constitution’s applicability in Jammu and Kashmir prior to the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
Prime Minister Modi underscored the positive outcomes of the Article 370 abrogation, citing the inclusion of Dalits and Valmikis in reservation policies in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time. He emphasized that the decision has opened avenues for socio-economic development and inclusivity in the region.
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On August 5, 2019, the Narendra Modi government revoked Article 370, thereby ending the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating it into two Union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The move was met with both praise and criticism, sparking debates on constitutional propriety and regional autonomy.
The Supreme Court upheld the abrogation of Article 370 on December 11 last year, rejecting arguments that it was a permanent provision. The court directed the holding of elections in the region by September 2024 and urged the expeditious restoration of statehood.
During a recent rally in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur, PM Modi expressed optimism about the region’s future, promising that assembly elections would soon be held, and statehood would be restored.
His remarks signal the government’s commitment to the democratic process and the eventual reintegration of Jammu and Kashmir into a full-fledged state within the nation Union.
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