New Delhi, Nov 14 (UNI) Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region and Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh on Thursday declared Article 370 as "regressive" which had led the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into economic deprivation.
Terming Article 370 as an “aberration” and calling it a “miscarriage of justice”, he said several path-breaking Central laws, including ban on child marriages, anti-dowry legislations, Right To Education, Minimum Wages Act and the Triple Talaq ban were not implemented in the State.
Addressing a group of 22 students from Delhi University here, the minister said "Article 35A also was against daughters’ right to equality by depriving them of Inheritance Rights. There was rampant violation of Human Rights of Girl Child as Child Marriages were not banned in the state, besides polygamy was also prevalent."
With the abrogation of the two Articles, Dr Singh said the two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh were on the path to rapid development. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sanctioned two AIIMS for the UT of J&K, - the only state or UT in the country with two AIIMS. Besides, nine medical colleges and an IIT and IIM were being set up in the J&K UT. "The government also proposes to set up Apple, Strawberry and Cherry Parks that will give a boost to the horticulture sector in the newly-created UT, an official release here said.
Regretting that three decades of terrorism in J&K had severely crippled the region’s economy, he pointed out that “tourism was on the decline and filmmakers had deserted the region’s scenic locations,” and added: “we will hopefully wipe out terrorism from J&K by next year.”
Greeting the students on Children’s Day, Dr Singh remarked 70 per cent of India’s population was below 40 years in age.
“The youth will bring about qualitative and quantitative change as India embarks on the journey to being an economic powerhouse and among the superpowers,” he said.

UNI SD SHK1841