Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Aug 5: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi vindicated Syama Prasad Mukherjee’s commitment to the nation by abrogation of Article 370”, said Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh in an exclusive interview to national channel on the occasion of the 5th Anniversary of abrogation of Article 370. here today.
At the same time, Dr Jitendra Singh said, Modi completed Nehru’s unfinished task by abrogating Article 370. He recalled that PM Jawaharlal Nehru had himself gone on record to say that Art 370 was temporary and Nehru’s exact words in response to apprehensions expressed by Syama Prasad Mukherjee were, “Yeh Ghiste Ghiste Ghiste Jayegi” (It, ie Art 370, will vanish in course of time), but his successors allowed it to continue for their vested interests..
“Article 370 was a miscarriage of Constitution, democracy and justice which the people of Jammu and Kashmir had to endure for seven decades under the garb of so called special status granted by the temporary provision,” recalled Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science and Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
Dr Jitendra Singh also criticised previous Governments for posing to be protagonists of Article 370 but actually abusing Article 370 to exploit the common masses for their vested interests. He cited the example of how during the Emergency, the term of all the State Assemblies was increased from 5 to 6 years. Later on, after 3 years the Morarji Government restored it back to 5 years, but the then Government in J&K immediately adopted the first central legislation but conveniently ignored the second one using the alibi of Article 370 and allowed the J&K Assembly term to continue to be six years till Aug 5-6, 2019. This reflects how some people misused Article 370 for their own vested interests.
“Historic decision of abrogation of Article 370 brought citizenship rights to a vast population in J&K who were deprived of it for the last seven decades”, In the last 5 years multifaceted transformation witnessed at Democratic, Governance, Development and Security level, he added.
At the democratic level, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Pakistan refugees who settled in J&K were deprived of voting rights for seven decades despite two of them going on to become the Prime Minister of India, naming I.K Gujral and Dr. Man Mohan Singh.
Speaking about hardliners and sympathisers, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, PM Modi has taken a strict decisive stance and those who were hosted as guests by Pak Embassy in New Delhi are now lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail which signifies governments no tolerance to anti- India activism and serves as a deterrent. He also emphasised that hoisting the National Flag was once a dream for many and now the tri-color is hoisted on every government office in J&K. he recalled Syama Prasad Mukherjee’s remark “A single country can’t have two Constitutions, two Prime Ministers, and two National emblem”.
Dr. Jitendra Singh expressed his anguish over three generations of Jammu and Kashmir being sacrificed for the false dream of freedom. Whereas the people with vested interests sent their own children abroad for studies, they used the children of others to be sacrificed for the so called freedom struggle and also deprived them of education and opportunities, so much so that the youth had lost hope and given up their dreams. But post abrogation Article 370 the aspirations in youth have rekindled. Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted that the youth of J&K is highly aspirational and recent performance of students of the region be it Civil Services, Sports and other higher education.
In terms of security and peace in the region, Dr. Jitendra Singh remarked that we are in the last phase of militancy, the Centre has been successful in containing militancy post 370. He explained that pattern-based militancy is over. Speaking on the recent incidents, he said terrorists are on the run and keep attacking soft targets just to stay relevant but soon that too will be contained.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, underscoring the infrastructure development in the region, said “World’s Tallest Rail Bridge over Chenab River is present in J&K. The previous Governments neglected the railway network development, he said. He also recalled how the hydro power projects were stalled for years and made operational post 2014 after PM Modi took over and soon Kishtwar will emerge as a Power hub.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, for the first time, the unexplored natural resources and dormant human resources within J&K have emerged on the surface, the latest example being that of the “Purple Revolution” originating from Bhaderwah which has given India a new genre of Agri-StartUps and holds the promise of contributing significant value addition to India’s economy as it rises to number 3 in next few years and then to the top.
He also highlighted that Udhampur is featured among the top three districts in PMGSY rural roads. PM Awas has restored people’s faith in Government. The Minister clarified that Services are provided to the needy irrespective of caste, creed, religion which has caused a change of mindset among the people.
The Minister for Science and Technology highlighted the birth of Purple Revolution: Lavender Cultivation originating in a small town of Bhaderwah in district Doda which exploded the myth that StartUp is a job of highly educated and concerned with IT.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said, Congress should thank PM Modi for completing the unfinished task by abrogating Article 370 which PM Jawaharlal Nehru had himself gone on record to say that it was temporary.
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