‘Mookherjee’s stand vindicated’
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Aug 5: Terming that historical developments have taken place in J&K since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5 in 2019, Union Minister in PMO with Independent Charge of Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that annulling of this controversial Article gave outlet to aspirations of J&K youth.
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Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here today, Dr Jitendra Singh said the Article 370 which the Congress party was supposed to abrogate decades back was annulled by Narendra Modi led Government and this way he did a lot of service to the nation and Bharatiya Janata Party by annulling this controversial Article redeemed for the sins committed by the Congress party.
Terming Article 370 as one of the greatest Constitutional anomalies which was a barrier in the way of progress and prosperity of the people of J&K, Dr Jitendra Singh said he had been always saying that the history will one day prove whether former Jana Sangh president, Dr Shyama Prasad Mookherjee was right or wrong and today whole world is witness to it as BJP’s stand on this controversial Article has been vindicated.
He said by annulling the controversial Article, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has done away with a great constitutional anomaly. This way he has done a great help to the common man of J&K as he (common man) could not take advantage of those opportunities which were available to people of rest of the country.
The people wanted to take the advantage of these opportunities in J&K too but the Article 370 was a great barrier in its way, Dr Jitendra Singh said, adding now that barrier is over and people of J&K are free to take full advantage of the opportunities available to people of the rest of the country.
He said every section of people including women in J&K, West Pak refugees, Valmiki Samaj and others were deprived of their rights with this constitutional anomaly despite the fact that while its inclusion in with constitution, the then Prime Minister, Pt Jawhahar Lal Nehru had said during a debate in reply to the question of Dr Shayama Prasad Mookherjee that it is temporary provision of the Constitution and it will get eroded with the passage of time.
Dr Jitendra Singh alleged that the successors of Nehru in Congress Government at Centre failed to keep the promise made by him with countrymen for their vested political interests and they backtracked from their promise and made the Article 370 a permanent feature in the Constitution.
He said the J&K youth after abrogation of Article 370 have to discharge a great responsibility in the Amritkal period as J&K will lead the country in next 25 years to become one of the vibrant economies of the world after exploiting the abundant Himalayan resources in this region.
Brushing aside a question that PDP supremo, Mehbooba Mufti has said that they will observe August 5 as Black Day, Dr Jitendra Singh said there are no takers for it in the UT. He quoting Mehbooba said “Earlier she too had said that nobody will be left in the State of J&K to carry the tricolor but nobody bothered for what she said.”
He, while highlighting the revolutionary steps taken by the UT in Aroma Mission and Lavender cultivation said the success stories of Lavender cultivation in the J&K are now making rounds in US and Britain.
In response to a question that opposition parties are accusing BJP of being scared is delaying Assembly elections in J&K, Dr Jitendra Singh said that it is the prerogative of Election Commission of India (ECI) which is an autonomous body to decide the date for holding elections in the UT and the BJP Government does not interfere in the working of autonomous bodies.
Dr Jitendra Singh said those who say like this are talking of UPA mindset. But it is Modi Government which does not interfere in the working of autonomous bodies. EC is the best judge and it will take decision on holding of Assembly poll in the UT at appropriate time. The Government has nothing to do with that, he added.
On the targeted killings which took place in Kashmir during last over one year, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the decisive action was not taking place to weed out terrorism during earlier governments in the J&K and the security forces were not given free hand to contain terrorism.
There were 5000 cases of stone pelting in Kashmir earlier but PM made clear that there will be zero tolerance against terrorism and this Government acted decisively because it believes both in courage and conviction. The decades long terrorism in J&K thrived on corruption as both are interlinked, he added.
On the plight of displaced Kashmiri Pandits ,Dr Jitendra Singh said that BJP as well as NDA were concerned for the Kashmiri Pandits right from 1989 the day they were displaced from Valley and many steps have been taken for their welfare.
In response to a question of labelling them migrants, he said this is not any official word. Some even call them as displaced people.
Dr Jitendra Singh also accused the opposition parties of depriving the J&K people of benefits of three tyre democratic system in the J&K by deliberately not implementing the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendment in J&K. This way the funds to be given to PRIs for development were deposited in CM’s kitty and he was disbursing them among his freebees.
Later, Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated a party’s two days workshop for PRIs at Patnitop in Udhampur district. The workshop was part of BJP’s exercise to conduct orientation camps to discuss social and political issues.
The theme of Dr Jitendra Singh speech in the workshop was conduct and working of elected representatives and their connect with the people.
The second session of the workshop was addressed by BJP co convener, J&K Ashish Sood.
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