Jammu, Aug 18 (UNI) Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Sunday said that Congress party and its Kashmir-centric allies like National Conference (NC) are rattled because the myth of Article 370 stands exploded.
He also said, with Article 370 having been abrogated, the next goal is to retrieve Pak occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) form the illegal occupation of Pakistan and once again make it a part of the Indian union.
Addressing a Citizens’ meet at the BJP headquarters at Mukherjee Bhavan, Dr Singh said, the Congress and its dynastic allies in Jammu and Kashmir had dominated the political landscape for several decades by claiming that Article 370 was irrevocable and, at the same time, also sought to make the whole world believe that they are the only political option available for running the affairs of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Besides the setback to development, people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh had suffered a huge damage by way of psychological isolation because of Article 370, which prevented them from nourishing themselves with a sense of belonging like citizens in other parts of India," he said and reiterated that from October 31 onwards, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh will embark on a new journey as a part of global India.
Dr Singh said, the benefits of the new arrangement will be realised within months by people across the region, regardless of whether they belong to Jammu or Kashmir or Ladakh, and regardless of whether they are Hindu or Muslim or Sikh.
"Only a handful of those who are worried about their fate are the ones who had been beneficiaries of 8 to 10 percent voter turn-out in the Valley, which enabled them to perpetuate their dynastic rule for generations together," he said.
Hitting out at those who are over-reacting to preventive detentions made on the eve of Eid and Independence Day, Dr Singh said, on the contrary, we should congratulate the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the administration for ensuring that both the festive occasions passed off peacefully, whereas over the last three decades, each year we have witnessed violence and untoward incidents on these occasions inspite of prolonged spells of curfew and other restrictions.
Allaying the fears that in the new arrangement, the government jobs will be taken up by people from other States, Dr Singh retorted by asking, had that been the case why couldn't the people of Jammu and Kashmir living close to the Punjab border not get recruitment in Punjab Police or Punjab Civil Services and said, there are rules of recruitment in place in every State and Union Territory.
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