Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday lauded the government’s efforts in stripping the special status granted to the state of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370, claiming that the move to do away with the temporary provision would help combat terrorism in the restive Kashmir Valley. Speaking at the 35th Raising Day celebrations of the counter-terror force National Security Guard (NSG) as chief guest in Haryana’s Gurgaon, the Home minister added that the Narendra Modi government’s decision to repeal Article 370 would help eradicate Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and bring lasting peace to the Kashmir Valley.
“I believe that with the abrogation of Article 370 by PM Narendra Modi, we have initiated a decisive battle against years of proxy war and terror acts perpetrated by our neighbor (Pakistan) and this step will ensure ever-lasting peace in Kashmir and the region,” PTI quoted Shah as saying.
The Home minister claimed that the Centre is firm on its “zero tolerance” policy over terrorism. “Hence our government is firm on continuing the zero-tolerance policy on terrorism,” Shah said.
On October 13, 2019, addressing a rally at Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district, Shah said that no other government at the Centre had shown the courage to remove the special status, but a man with a 56-inch chest scrapped it in one go.
“Several governments came and went, several prime ministers, came and went, no one had the courage to abrogate Article 370. But, the man with the 56-inch chest scrapped it in one go,” Shah said.
Meanwhile, there was some welcome news for the people of Jammu and Kashmir as the administration decided to ease some of the restrictions it had imposed in wake of the Centre’s decision. Postpaid mobile services were restored in the state after a gap of 71 days. Prepaid mobile phone services, including mobile internet services, continue to be banned.
On Tuesday, police detained Safia Abdullah Khan, the daughter, and Suraiya Abdullah, the sister of former Chief Minister and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah. The duo was detained in Srinagar during protests against ending the state’s special status.
Several political leaders including former CMs Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were put under house arrest since August after the government announced its move to repeal special status granted to the state.
