Major problem, finally put to end: Congress leader praises Article 370 abrogation

Salman Khurshid, a Congress leader, mentioned in Indonesia during a discussion with a delegation that Article 370 of the Constitution, which conferred special status upon Jammu and Kashmir, had for a long time fostered the idea of Kashmir being distinct from the rest of India, but this notion has now been eliminated with the government’s repeal of the article.

Referring to the notion of a “distinct” identity as a “significant issue,” Khurshid also emphasized the beneficial results following the abrogation, such as 65 percent voter turnout in later elections that resulted in the formation of an elected government in Kashmir. He contended against any efforts to undo these changes, highlighting the “prosperity” that has arisen in the area.

“Kashmir had a major problem for a long time. Much of that was reflected in the thinking of the government in an article called 370 of the Constitution, which somehow gave an impression that it was separate from the rest of the country. But Article 370 was abrogated and it was finally put to an end,” he said.

According to the senior Congress leader, the BJP-led central government’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019 has led to positive changes and increased prosperity in the region.

“Subsequently, there was an election in 65 per cent participation in election. There’s an elected government in Kashmir today and therefore for people to want to undo everything that has happened, the prosperity that has come to Kashmir,” he added, while addressing members of Indonesian think tanks and academia.

Khurshid, a previous External Affairs Minister, is included in a delegation of all parties headed by JDU MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, which is traveling to Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore to inform these nations about Operation Sindoor and India’s stance on regional security matters.

The government of Jammu and Kashmir, led by Omar Abdullah and supported by the Congress, proposed a resolution in the Assembly to reinstate Article 370 soon after assuming office in September of the previous year. The BJP fiercely resisted the initiative, claiming that Article 370 would never be restored, even if Indira Gandhi came back from the afterlife.

The Congress party, initially against the action, ultimately recognized that the discussion about the repeal of Article 370 is legally resolved after the Supreme Court’s decision, which supported the federal government’s choice. The party has stated that the issue is now ‘resolved’ from a constitutional perspective.