NEW DELHI, February 13 : Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has said that the Congress party had developed a vested interest in allowing Article 370 to continue even though, in the constitution, it was noted and mentioned as a “temporary provision”.
In a Podcast interview to Smita Prakash, Editor ANI, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that Article 370 was included in the Indian constitution as a temporary provision, which had to be abrogated in course of time, but Congress and its allies never allowed that to happen due to vested political interest they developed over a period of time.
Replying to a question on abrogation of Article 370 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August, 2019 and its various aspects, Dr. Jitendra Singh recalled that during a discussion in the Constituent Assembly,when Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee had suggested that there should be a rethinking about Article 370, at that time, Jawaharlal Nehru had emphatically replied to Dr. Mookerjee, saying, “मुखर्जी, डोन्ट वरी, ये घिसते घिसते घिस जाएगा” (It will gradually vanish away ).
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that these were the words of Nehru. But, Congress and successive governments of the same party didn’t allow it to be abrogated and go away, rather they allowed it to continue. He said, despite Nehru’s assertion in the Constituent Assembly,Congress didn’t let Article 370 be abolished to keep the political spectrum limited and isolated to be able to perpetuate their dynastic rule.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has, in fact, not only corrected an anomaly of the constitution, but has also accomplished the task of abrogating Article 370 which should have been done by the Congress itself since their leaders had admitted that it was a temporary provision. He said, the Congress had exposed its self-centric dynastic politics which facilitated family rule in Jammu & Kashmir, generation after generation.
The Union Minister, who represents and hails from Jammu & Kashmir, said it is an irony that almost even after 70 years, refugees from Pakistan who came here to settle in Jammu & Kashmir, were not given citizenship and not allowed to vote in elections. He said this happened despite the fact that two of the Prime Ministers IK Gujral and Dr. Manmohan Singh belonged to the same genre. Dr. Singh said, “I sometimes shudder to think what their fate would have been had they got settled in Jammu & Kashmir and destiny would have deprived them of the privilege of becoming Prime Minister of the country”.
Dr. Jitendra Singh accused the Congress and its successive governments of misusing Article 370 for their vested political interests, in the garb of protecting the identity and rights of local Kashmiris.
Giving a striking instance, the Union Minister recalled that how in 1975, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi brought a constitution amendment to increase the term of State Assemblies and Lok Sabha from 5 to 6 years. He said that after 3 years, when Morarji Desai took over as the Prime Minister, this provision was reversed to 5 years term. However, while the National Conference- Congress led government in J&K conveniently adopted the first amendment , it refused to adopt second amendment in the garb of 370 and carried on with a 6 year term till Modi abrogated Art 370 in 2019.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has, by abrogating Article 370 in August, 2019, not only made a historic correction but also enabled several social and Governance reforms to take shape and become applicable for the benefit of the common people. He said that Prime Minister Modi holds a special place for Jammu & Kashmir, like the Northeast of the country, which he visited over 50 times, only during the first term as the Prime Minister.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that this was the first time after abrogation of Article 370 that the district council elections were held in Jammu & Kashmir and this is an example of rule emanating from the ground, which is self-rule in true sense. He said that the Modi government has created a milieu where the outlets are available for expression of democratic aspirations. He also mentioned how the security scenario has undergone a change in the UT where there are no more stone-pelting incidents. He said that credit for all this goes to Prime Minister Modi.
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