Article 370 was major hurdle to progress of J&K, says PM Narendra Modi

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, February 20

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the era of bombs, guns and separatism was over as Jammu and Kashmir was now marching ahead on the path of progress. He also launched an attack on dynastic politics in the UT.

Kashmir tourism to rival Switzerland

• Modi said they would create such infra in J&K that people would forget Switzerland
• Tourism generated through it would help the entire population of the UT, the PM said

He said Article 370 was a major hurdle to development, which helped a few political families ensure their own interests.

Addressing a well-attended public rally at Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu, Modi, who was flanked by two BJP MPs from J&K, Jugal Kishore Sharma and Jitendra Singh, and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, asked the people to help the saffron party win 370 seats in the coming Lok Sabha elections and the NDA over 400 seats. “After the abrogation of Article 370 (in 2019), I have now asked the people of the country to give 370 seats to the BJP in the elections. A movie on Article 370 is also being made,” Modi said. In an attack on Kashmir-based regional parties, Modi said J&K had been a victim of dynastic politics. “Those in dynastic politics have only seen their interests and not cared about your issues. It is the youth of J&K who bore the brunt of such kind of politics. In such a system, the government keeps on helping a family and leaves the future of the youth at stake,” he said.

After inaugurating and laying the foundation stones of projects worth Rs 32,000 crore, he said J&K was moving forward with a pledge of becoming developed, leaving behind the days of despair and separatism. He said these projects would provide a boost to education, skill, jobs, health, industry and connectivity.

Modi said the constitutional promise of social justice finally reached refugee families, the Valmiki community and safai karamcharis. The Valmiki community attained the SC status in what the PM termed as fulfilment of years-old demand. Paddari, Pahari, Gadda Brahmins and Kolis had been included in the ST category, he said.

Pointing out the reservation for STs in the Legislative Assembly and OBC reservation in panchayats and urban local bodies, the PM said, “The mantra of sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas and sabka prayas is the foundation of the development of J&K.”

Dwelling on improving health facilities in J&K, the PM said the number of medical colleges in J&K had risen to 12 today from four in 2014, there were more than 1,300 MBBS seats as opposed to 500 in 2014 and more than 650 PG medical seats as opposed to none in 2014. The PM said today there was a lot of enthusiasm in the whole world about J&K’s development.

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