BENGALURU, Sep 28: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Saturday said normalcy was returning to Jammu and Kashmir and that there was no curfew besides debunking allegations of lockdown there since the scrapping of Article 370.
Delivering a lecture here on ‘One Nation, One Constitution’, Joshi said allegations have been levelled that many are in the lock-up.
“So, should it mean that we should keep them outside? Only those against India are in the lockup,” he said.
Joshi said he has travelled to many parts of the country.
“..Everywhere people asked me if there is curfew in Kashmir. I told them that there is no curfew there.”
Explaining further, he said, “Since August 5 (when Art 370 that gave special status to J&K was abrogated) to September 28 … section 144 (of CrPC) has been imposed only in six police station limits of Kashmir. Not even for a day curfew was imposed.
No firing happened. No demonstrations took place.”
Stating that Kashmir was returning to normalcy, the union minister said those spreading lies about Kashmir should know that in 2006, 2008 and 2011, there was curfew for 150 days out of 365 days in Kashmir.
Warning Pakistan for raking up the issue of abrogation of Article 370, Joshi said “If Pakistan continues with its drama, days aren’t far away when Pakistan occupied Kashmir will be part of India.”
The scrapping of the article’s provisions will boost tourism and education, and put a brake on terrorists running their show inside Indian territory, the union minister added. (PTI)
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