Chouhan reiterates blame on Nehru for Article 370

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday reiterated his remarks where he termed then Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's Article 370 decision for Jammu and Kashmir as an act of "crime."

During a media interaction, when Chouhan was asked to comment on his statement made about former Prime Minister Nehru in Bhubaneswar on August 10, he said, "Maharaja of Kashmir did not demand special status to Kashmir when it was unified with India."

"Nehru did commit a crime and on the demand of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Sheikh Abdullah, he granted special status to the state. The move was also opposed by Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar," he said.

"The introduction of Article 370 was a crime. It led to terrorism while Sheikh Abdullah's family prospered. The people of Kashmir remained poor," Chouhan said.

The BJP leader said: "Nehru committed the crime of announcing ceasefire in war with Pakistan at the time when Indian forces were driving out the Pakistani infiltrators from Jammu and Kashmir, due to which one-third of the portion (PoK) remained with Pakistan."

Chouhan on Saturday had said that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was the "criminal" who committed the crime of introducing Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and also of announcing 'cease-fire' in war with Pakistan.

Indian Parliament recently revoked Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and also passed the Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganization) Act 2019, reorganising the state in two Union Territories--Jammu and Kashmir with Assembly and Ladakh without it.