‘Historic moment’: Four years on, how BJP leaders marked Article 370 abrogation

On the fourth anniversary of the Centre’s abrogation of Article 370 that bestowed special status on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, several Union ministers and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders took to social media to mark the occasion.

On August 5, 2019, the Centre decided to strip the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir of special status and bifurcate it into two union territories.

Union minister for housing and urban affairs Hardeep Singh Puri took to X (formally Twitter) to mark the anniversary. Calling Article 370 “draconian”, he said the milestone decision was welcomed by the people. “I join my brothers & sisters of Jammu & Kashmir in celebrating an era of progress & development under the leadership of PM @narendramodi Ji.”

Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari said the abrogation of Article 370 played a pivotal role in the development of Jammu and Kashmir. He added that there has been “a remarkable 170% increase in tourist footfall, setting J&K on the right track toward progress and prosperity”.

Gadkari also said with the Greenfield Expressway, which will connect Rajasthan with Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir, the J&K region is “reclaiming its position as a prime destination for employment and development”.

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya tweeted that the 2019 decision was a “historic moment”. He said that the abrogation led to a series of transformative changes which had a “profound impact on the region, its people, and its potential for growth”.

Malviya added that the abrogation was aimed at the integration, development, and progress of Jammu and Kashmir. He added that the abrogation enabled full participation of the Indian Union and opened up new avenues for the citizens to realise their full potential.

“The government’s focus on infrastructure development has been evident through numerous projects launched in the region. This has not only improved connectivity but has also made Jammu & Kashmir a preferred destination for tourists. With a staggering 1.27 crore tourists arriving in the region till June 2023, there is a renewed sense of hope and prosperity. For the first time since Independence, more than one lakh people, who migrated from West Pakistan to Jammu in 1947, are being granted full citizenship and domicile rights, including ownership rights for property, the right to vote, and eligibility for government jobs,” Malviya said.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath congratulated on the occasion, adding that Article 370 and 35-A were “the father and nurturer of separatism, terrorism, familyism and misrule in Jammu and Kashmir for decades and a blot on our national unity and integrity”.

Adityanath said, “With this historic work done under the successful leadership of Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, where the resolve of ‘One Country-One Mark-One Legislation’ was fulfilled, while joining with the spirit of ‘Sabka Saath-Sabka Vikas-Sabka Vishwas-Sabka Prayas’ Today Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh regions are touching new heights of development. Today, these areas are providing more powerful and new dimensions to the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat’.”

Union minister for Parliamentary Affairs Prahlad Joshi said the removal of Article 370 has led to significant development and growth in Jammu and Kashmir.

Union minister for education Dharmendra Pradhan also said the “decisive step” was a result of the “ideological clarity and political will” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah.

Mehbooba Mufti under ‘house arrest’

Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and other Jammu and Kashmir political leaders were put under house arrest on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 on Saturday. Mufti’s Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party had sought permission to hold a seminar but the administration denied the permission.

“I’ve been put under house arrest along with other senior PDP leaders today. This comes after a midnight crackdown where scores of my party men are illegally detained in police stations. GOIs false claims about normalcy to the SC stands exposed by theirs actions driven by paranoia,” Mehbooba Mufti tweeted.

She added, “On one hand, giant hoardings calling upon Kashmiris to ‘celebrate’ the illegal abrogation of Article 370 have been put up across Srinagar. Whereas brute force is being used to choke the actual sentiment of the people. Hope the Hon’ble SC takes cognisance of these developments at a time when Article 370 has come up for hearing.”