‘Isolation’ of J-K allowed Kashmiri youths to be misguided: Modi

Abu Dhabi, August 24

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that Jammu and Kashmir’s special status was revoked to end its “isolation” which allowed some of the youths to be “misguided, get radicalised and take to violence and terrorism”.

Defending his government’s move, Modi said it was India’s “internal step” which was taken in a “completely democratic, open, transparent and constitutional” manner.

Modi, who is in the UAE on the second leg of his three-nation tour, in an interview with the Khaleej Times on Friday, said his government scrapped Article 370 of the Constitution to end the isolation that had kept Jammu and Kashmir underdeveloped “to serve the vested interests of a few”.

“This isolation also allowed some of the youths to be misguided, get radicalised and take to violence and terrorism,” he said.

“We cannot afford to let these tendencies get any foothold in our harmonious society and distract us from the primary tasks of growth and development of the entire country. I appreciate the understanding the UAE and its leadership have shown for our steps and our reasons for taking them,” said Modi, who held talks with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday.

Responding to a question on the scrapping of Article 370 from the Constitution and whether the Gulf countries understood India’s concerns, Modi said, “As far as Article 370 is concerned, our internal steps were taken in a completely democratic, open, transparent and constitutional manner. They were designed to end the isolation that had kept Jammu-Kashmir underdeveloped to serve the vested interests of a few.”

He thanked the UAE's leadership for backing India on the issue.

The UAE has backed India on its decision to revoke provisions of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcate the state into union territories.

The Gulf nation’s ambassador to India, Ahmad Al Banna, had said that he viewed India’s decisions relating to Jammu and Kashmir as an internal matter of the country.

On terrorism, Modi said, “India has been a victim of cross-border terrorism for over four decades. Both India and the UAE have a common interest in ensuring that the anti-humanity forces that shelter or promote terrorism in any way are compelled to give up their destructive policies.”

He said the UAE had shown “full understanding” of the strong steps India had taken against terrorism. “We have exemplary cooperation to ensure mutual security,” he said.

“Terrorism and extremism are a threat to humankind. It is the responsibility of everyone to oppose them with all the force at their command. India and the UAE have rapidly expanded their cooperation for security, based not only on their common concerns but also on their shared values,” he said.

Modi said strengthening ties with the UAE remained one of the most important foreign policy priorities of his government. PTI