Kashmir unshackled after abrogation of Article 370: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Srinagar on March 7. In the background is the Shanakaracharya Hill. (Image: @narendramodi)

Jammu and Kashmir have been freed from the chains of restrictions after decades, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at a rally in Srinagar on March 7, accusing the Congress and its partners of misleading people in the garb of Article 370.

Modi was on his first visit to Kashmir after his government 2019 abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to the border region.

“Article 370 was not benefiting the people of Jammu and Kashmir; it was only helping a few political families to reap benefits. People in the region have realised, they were cheated and their lives were put in shackles,” Modi said.

Scrapping Article 370 which gave a separate constitution and a flag to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was a major promise of the BJP in the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

Joined by his ministerial colleague Union minister Jitendra Singh, who is an MP from Udhampur, LG Manoj Sinha, Modi addressed a packed Bakshi Stadium, with the crowd spilling to the road.

With Article 370 history, aspirations of the youngsters were getting due attention, Modi said, adding there were new opportunities for them in every field.

“People have equal rights and equal opportunities. West Pakistani refugees as well as people from the Valmiki community have got voting right after seventy years,” said the Prime Minister, who inaugurated projects worth Rs 6, 400 crore from the stadium.

Dynastic politics

The government took the much-needed steps to grant scheduled tribe status to people from the Pahari, Gadda Brahmins and Kohli communities.

“We made reservation provisions for other backward classes in the municipal corporation, municipal committee and panchayats. Dynastic political parties deprived people of their rights,” Modi said, listing the various welfare measures taken by his government.

Every community has been bestowed with all and Jammu and Kashmir was finally rid of corruption and nepotism, he said.

Action against corruption

Jammu and Kashmir suffered at the hands of dynast politicians who gave jobs only to their families and friends, as he talked about Jammu and Kashmir Bank.

“The bank was on the brink of getting bankrupt and people would have lost their money. We brought many reforms and saved people’s money. We took action against backdoor entries and illegal recruitments,” Modi said.

Youngsters were getting jobs on merits and it was “Modi’s guarantee” that restored the bank’s financial health, which was now clocking a profit of Rs 17,000 crore.

“It is people’s money and I am protecting it like a chowkidar. Now deposits are also increasing and NPAs have come down to 5 percent from 11 percent,” Modi said.

Modi’s Parivar

Modi also said that dynast politicians were attacking him and that he didn’t have a family but the people of India had responded accordingly.

“I have always considered Jammu and Kashmir as my family. And now every Kashmir says he is Modi’s family,” the PM said.