Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 11: The Supreme Court verdict on Article 370 and 35 A has been widely welcomed with people celebrating the decision at different places in Jammu region.
Welcoming the decision BJP national general secretary and in charge J&K and Ladakh UTs, Tarun Chugh said the Supreme Court verdict is a historic victory of PM, Narendra Modi’s visionary step.
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He said J&K entered a new era of growth and development after 2019 and the J&K Government is determined that the fruits of progress not only reach people of J&K but also their benefits should be extended to most vulnerable sections of the society.
MP Rajya Sabha, Gulam Ali Khatana while welcoming the SC verdict on the Article 370 termed it a pivotal moment in the history of J&K. In a statement today Khatana said Article 370 and 35 A were previously exploited by dynastic rulers of the National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to curtail democratic rights , particularly of certain marginalised communities.
Welcoming the Supreme Court’s verdict on Article 370, traders and industrialists in Jammu said they are looking forward to the restoration of statehood and democratically elected Government in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We welcome the Supreme Court judgment to uphold abrogation of Article 370 as it was Jammu which always supported complete integration of the erstwhile State to the country”.
“However, we were never in favour of downgrading J-K into a Union Territory and the Supreme Court verdict calling for early restoration of statehood along with holding of Assembly elections within a timeframe is highly appreciable,” president of Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries Arun Gupta.
He said the Apex Court’s judgment was in line with the expectations of the people of Jammu.
President of Chamber of Traders Federation Jammu, Neeraj Anand, described the verdict as “historic” and said, “We wholeheartedly welcome it. We always wanted to be fully integrated with our nation and it was a general sentiment of the people of the region.”
He said this “historic” decision will be a turning point for the people of Jammu and Kashmir which lagged behind the rest of the country in the last 70 years.
Vice president of Federation of Industries Jammu, Ajay Langer, said they are happy over the Supreme Court’s direction for holding of Assembly elections by September next year and early restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Supreme Court Bar Association chief Adish C Aggarwala also welcomed the Supreme Court verdict upholding the Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370, which accorded a special status to the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Abrogation of Article 370 from the Constitution of India will make the people of Kashmir proud as earlier they were neglected by the people of different countries,” Senior Advocate Aggarwala said, adding, “The judgment will bring prosperity and development in the region.”
The top court’s direction to hold the election by September 2024 will strengthen the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) while commenting on the decision said the Supreme Court verdict upholding the abrogation of Article 370 by the Centre will strengthen national unity.
The RSS has been opposing Article 370 of the Constitution “since the beginning”, Sangh’s all-India publicity head, Sunil Ambekar said in a statement.
“The Supreme Court legitimising the abolition of Article 370 is worth welcoming and RSS welcomes this decision,” Ambekar said.
The RSS has also passed many resolutions in the matter and participated in all the movements demanding scrapping of the provision which gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
Former MLC Vikramaditya Singh while wholeheartedly welcoming the decision of Apex Court said the landmark judgement marks a significant step towards the complete integration of J&K into the Indian Union. It paves the way for a brighter future for the UT, free from the shackles of a discriminatory and divisive law.
Senior BJP leader and former Minister, M K Ajatshatru Singh also welcomed the verdict of Supreme Court on Article 370 and 35 A and termed it a historic moment for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. In a statement issued here, today he said for more than seven decades, the people of Jammu region, especially several communities were deprived of their fundamental rights due to controversial Article.
J&K BJP general secretary and former MLC, Vibodh Gupta said that the justice has been delivered to the people of J&K and Ladkah UTs as Supreme Court upheld the abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A as Constitutionally valid. He said nullification of Article 370 and 35 A of the Constitution five years back has transformed J&K , bringing about substantial and far reaching changes in the lives of its people.
Bari Brahmana Industries Association (BBIA) president, Lalit Gupta while welcoming Supreme Court verdict said that people of Jammu never supported Article 370 but they were not in favour of UT status, He said though BBIA welcomes the Apex Court’s decision on Article 370, it at the same time demands restoration of Statehood and holding of early elections in J&K.
Welcoming the decision Panun Kashmir (PK) convener and well known scholar, Dr Agnishekhar said with this verdict the Article 370 and 35 A has been buried for all times to come. He termed it a great verdict in national interest. He said the Youth4 PK , Youth Wing of Panun Kashmir had also filed an intervener application and cited Article 370 as major enabler of genocide of Kashmiri Pandits.
Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC), while welcoming the decision of SC termed a landmark and historic verdict which will completely change the narrative and hoax created on J&K by the parties having double standards. KPC president, Kundan Kashmiri said that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Home Minister, Amit Shah have done a great service to the nation in 2019 by annulling these controversial articles.
Kashmiri Pandit Sabha (KPS) has also hailed the decision of Supreme Court on Article 370 and 35 A stating clearly that they were temporary in nature. The Sabha also welcomed the suggestion made by Justice Sanjay Krishan Koul that there is an urgent necessity to constitute a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to create a congenial atmosphere in strife -torn Kashmir Valley.
Dogra Sadar Sabha (DSS) while welcoming the Supreme Court decision sought safeguards similar to Himachal Pradesh (HP) and North Eastern states to protect the interests of the people on J&K. The DSS president and former Minister, Gulchain Singh Charak said the decision of Apex Court has put on rest all possible alternative thought processes in this regard.
Shiv Sena (UBT) unit has also welcomed the verdict to uphold the Central Government’s decision on Article 370 and 35 A from J&K and expressed the hope that the democratic process and restoration of Statehood will be started at an earliest in the UT. J&K UT president of Sena, Manesh Sahni said that the SC decision on Article 370 has put a complete end to all speculations.
Senior BJP leader and former Minister Bali Bhagat while welcoming the Supreme Court verdict termed it a historical victory for the people of J&K and a testament to the Modi Government’s unwavering commitment to the national integration.
ABVP has also welcomed the SC decision on Article 370 and 35 A and said the integration of J&K into the Indian Union was complete.
Dogra Front (DF) and Shiv Sena (SS) under the leadership of its president, Ashok Gupta took out a massive procession in Jammu city after the final verdict of Apex Court came and celebrated the decision. The activists SS and DF celebrated the occasion with drum beats and they termed the verdict as last nail in the coffin.
Kashmiri Hindu Conference (KHC) and Magam Bangil Sabha (MBS) have also welcomed the decision. P L Koul Budgami president KHC and its other office bearers T K Bhat and M L Raina and MBS president, Raj Nath Raina termed it a landmark decision.
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