Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday vociferously defended his government's decision to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the provision has not given anything except separatism, corruption and family rule to the state. He also said Pakistan had used Article 370 as a tool to spread terrorism.
In a 38-minute televised address to the nation, PM Modi hailed his government's decision to revoke the Article as "historic" and said a new era has begun in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
The address came days after the Union government revoked Article 370 to withdraw special status to J&K and bifurcated the region into two UTs --Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh -- and ahead of his August 15 Independence Day speech at the Red Fort, where he spells out his vision for the nation.
PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI'S SPEECH IN POINTS:
-- Jammu and Kashmir is the crown of the nation
-- I wish the people of Jammu and Kashmir and of Ladakh, as well as the entire country very many congratulations.
-- A new era has begun in J&K and Ladakh. The country has taken a historic decsion. Dreams of many of our leaders have been fulfilled
-- There were obstacles to the development of the people of Kashmir all these years. Our efforts have removed those hindrances
-- The dream of Sardar Patel, Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee, Atalji and of crores of patriots has been fulfilled
-- We as a nation, as a family, have taken a historic decision. A system due to which brothers and sisters of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh were deprived of many rights and which was a big obstacle to their development, that system has been done away with
-- When some things are there forever we presume they will never change or go away. Article 370 was something similar
-- There was never any discussion as to how Article 370 was adversely affecting the people of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh. And it is surprising, no one was able to really tell how did the article benefit the people
-- In different states of the country sanitation workers come under the sanitation worker act, but workers from Jammu and Kashmir were deprived of it. In many states strong laws are their to stop atrocities against Dalits, but this was not the case in Jammu and Kashmir
-- All our brothers and sisters in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh were deprived of many rights, which was a major obstacle in their development. It has now ended
-- In the new system, it will be the priority of the Central government that the employees of Jammu and Kashmir and its police force get equal facilities with the employees of the other Union Territories and the police there
-- IITs and IIMs to be set up in Kashmir. We will encourage private investments and expand PM scholarship scheme
-- The laws that are made by the Parliament are for the benefit of the people of the whole country but no one can imagine that a large number of laws enacted by the Parliament are not applicable in one part of the country
-- The decision to keep Jammu and Kashmir directly under Central administration for a brief period was a well thought over decision. Since Governor rule was implemented in Jammu and Kashmir, state admin has been directly in touch with Centre due to which the effects of good governance can be seen on ground
-- Jammu and Kashmir will have its own chief minister, Cabinet and MLAs
-- Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh have the potential to be the biggest tourist hub of the world. There was a time when Kashmir was the favorite destination of Bollywood film makers, I am confident that in future even international films will be shot there
-- The laws that are made by the Parliament are for the benefit of the people of the whole country but no one can imagine that a large number of laws enacted by the Parliament are not applicable in one part of the country
-- Decades of dynasty rule in Jammu and Kashmir prevented the youth from political leadership. Now the youth of J&K will lead the development work and take the state to new heights
-- You will be shocked, in J&K for decades, lakhs and thousands of people had right to vote in Lok Sabha polls but neither they could vote nor contest in assembly/local polls. These are those who came to India after partition in 1947. Should injustice have continued with them?
-- I assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the situation will gradually return to normal
-- As J&K will see more and more development. I do not think it will remain Union Territory for long. Ladakh will remain the UT
-- I want to tell everyone, that any problem of people of J&K and Ladakh is also our problem. We are with them in their happy moments and their sad moments
-- In last few months of Governor's rule, the effects of good governance and development are starting to show on the ground; irrigation and power projects, roads and rail connectivity, airport modernisation etc are moving at a fast pace
-- The government shall make sure all our Kashmiri brothers and sisters here get to go celebrate Eid without any hassles
-- Those from J&K who live elsewhere and want to go to J&K to celebrate the festival will be helped in it by us
-- I want to make it clear your representative will be elected by you; your representative will come from amongst you... I have complete faith that under this new system we all will be able to free Jammu and Kashmir of terrorism and separatism
PM Modi concluded his address to the nation by wishing India and Jammu and Kashmir for Eid on August 12 and assured smooth celebrations.
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