First Navratri and Deepavali after abrogation of Art 370: Jitendra Singh in Katra

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday said that this will be the first Navratri, Vijaya Dashami and Deepavali after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and he had come to pay respects to Mata Vaishno Devi on this occasion.

Speaking at a pubic gathering here, Singh said: "This will be the first Navratri, Vijaya Dashami and Deepavali after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. I am here to thank Mata Vaishno Devi for the accomplishment of this feat."

"The most important thing is that Article 370 was abrogated by Home Minister Amit Shah under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Three generations waited for this feat and we were also not too sure that this will be accomplished in our lifetime. But due to the blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi, this feat was achieved," he added.

Last month, the Central government had abrogated Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution, and the Parliament had passed the Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganization) Act, 2019, bifurcating the state into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir with legislature and Ladakh without one.