Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday termed the Supreme Court’s verdict upholding the abrogation of Article 370, moved by his government, as “historic” and a verdict that “in its profound wisdom, has fortified the very essence of unity that we, as Indians, hold dear and cherish above all else.”
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Taking to microblogging site “X”, Mr. Modi said : “It [the verdict] is a declaration of hope, progress and unity for our sisters and brothers in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. The Court, in its profound wisdom, has fortified the very essence of unity that we, as Indians, hold dear and cherish above all else.”
He added that he wanted to “reassure” the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, that “our commitment to fulfilling your dreams remains unwavering.” He reiterated that his government was determined to extend the benefits of progress to the most vulnerable sections of society who, he said, had “suffered due to Article 370.” He termed the judgment a “beacon of hope” and a promise of a “better future.”
Separatism, stone pelting things of the past: Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, under whose watch on August 5, 2019, the government got the bills for reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir cleared through Parliament was also effusive in his response. He welcomed the verdict, stating that it upheld the constitutionality of his government’s decision, but also pointed out that “after the abrogation of Article 370, the rights of the poor and deprived have been restored, and separatism and stone pelting are now things of the past.”
“The entire region now echoes with melodious music and cultural tourism. The bonds of unity have strengthened, and integrity with Bharat stands reinforced,” he added.
For the BJP, the verdict, coming as it does a month before the inauguration of the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, is a great ideological victory and an exhalation point. “As far back as 1953, the Jan Sangh’s Shyama Prasad Mukherjee had led an agitation against Article 370 deeming it to be a living symbol of separatism. He was the one who came out with the slogan, ‘ek vidhan, ek nishan, ek pradhan’ [one Constitution, one flag and one Prime Minister]. Even after his death under detention in Jammu, this has been one of the three core issues of the BJP apart from the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and implementation of a Uniform Civil Code,” said a senior office bearer of the BJP.
Disappointed but not disheartened: Omar
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed his disappointment with the verdict.
“Disappointed but not disheartened. The struggle will continue. It took the BJP decades to reach here. We are also prepared for the long haul,” he said.
The Supreme Court on Monday unanimously upheld the Centre’s decision to abrogate provisions of Article 370 bestowing special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and directed restoration of Statehood “at the earliest” as well as elections to the Assembly by September 30 next year.
Ending a decades long debate, a five-judge Constitution Bench, headed by Chief Justice D. Y. Chandrachud, delivered three concurring judgements upholding abrogation of the Constitutional schemes that provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir when it was annexed to the Union of India in 1947.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI)
