Article 370 facilitated militancy in JK; 42,000 lives lost: Jitendra Singh

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday said Article 370, which gave Jammu and Kashmir special status, facilitated militancy and around 42,000 innocent lives were lost in that state in the past three decades.

He also said, on the contrary, in the four weeks after the abrogation of provisions of Article 370, not a single bullet has been fired nor a single tear gas shell lobbed.

Addressing as chief guest a programme organised to honour war veterans, including Param Vir Chakra recipients, he said Article 370 facilitated militancy and around 42,000 innocent lives were lost there in the last three decades.

The Union minister for PMO said the nation is indebted to its armed forces and there can be no pardon for those who abuse security persons.

The security forces, both military and paramilitary, he said, have functioned with utmost restrain during the tumultuous years of militancy in Kashmir and each soldier lost or each civilian lost is a huge loss to the nation as a whole.

Hitting out at some Kashmir-centric politicians who have bern making unsubstantiated allegations against the armed forces in Kashmir valley, Singh said these carry no weightage and therefore, deserve to be treated with the contempt they deserve.

He said the message should go out loud and clear that there will be no more any premium on anti-India activism by certain vested interests.