Article 370 scrapped: PM Modi lauds Shah for highlighting 'monumental injustices of past' in RS address

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lauded the 'extensive and insightful' speech made by Home Minister Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha during discussions on scrapping Article 370, and said his address "accurately highlighted" the injustices of the past.

Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister shared a video of Shah's address in the Upper House with his 49 million followers and wrote, "Home Minister Amit Shah Ji's speech in the Rajya Sabha was extensive and insightful. It accurately highlighted the monumental injustices of the past and coherently presented our vision for the sisters and brothers of Jammu and Kashmir. Do hear."

Earlier in the day, while addressing Rajya Sabha, Shah had said that the existence of Article 370 caused economic backwardness and hindered the development of Jammu and Kashmir, adding that political corruption aided by the said article harmed residents of the Valley.

He also stated that Article 370 was the biggest obstacle in ending terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, and its abrogation will open up the path of development in the state.

Replying to a debate on resolutions for repealing Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh - Shah urged people to give the Narendra Modi government five years without Article 370 and compare it with the situation that prevailed during the 70 years under Article 370.

The government had revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and proposed that the state be bifurcated into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019 was passed by Rajya Sabha after MPs voted on the bill using paper ballot due to a technical glitch in the electronic voting system.