Article 370 scrapping draws emotional response from people across the country

"I am overwhelmed, emotional, jubilant," said an entrepreneur in Jammu, echoing views of large sections across the country who hailed the Modi Government's decision on Monday to revoke Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir as "bold" and "historic".

But there were also voices of caution and apprehension especially from the Kashmir Valley and the Northeast, where several states enjoy special provisions.

Amid speculation about some big decision on J-K after the central government deployed additional troops in the state and directed pilgrims and tourists to leave, many were glued to news channels on Monday morning when Home Minister Amit Shah stood up to speak in Rajya Sabha.

Within minutes of his announcement, celebrations erupted as people came out on streets, danced to the sounds of drumbeats, burst crackers and distributed sweets while raising slogans of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'.

It was an emotional moment for many Kashmiri Pandits, who were forced to flee the Valley due to militancy, as they hoped the decision would pave the way for return to their homeland with honour and dignity.

"It should have been done long back. It is favourable for the nation. We are one. We should be one. We should not divide ourselves," Pina Misri, president of Kashmir Sabha, told PTI in Kolkata.

Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD), a body representing the community across the world, said the decision cements territorial, political and cultural unity of the Indian Union.

Despite precautionary restrictions imposed by the administration in Jammu, residents of many areas like Bohri, Muthi, New Plot and Trikuta Nagar came out of their homes, albeit in smaller groups, to express their happiness and expressed hope that the decision will deliver justice to the region, which has always complained of being discriminated against by the political setup.

Ankush Veshin, who runs a diagnostic centre in Talab Tilloo area said, "Hearing the announcement (by Shah in Rajya Sabha) gave me goosebumps... I am overwhelmed, emotional, jubilant."
Mutsikhoyo Yhobu, a Naga leader associated with various tribal bodies and civil societies, said "We are apprehensive that the present BJP-led government at the Centre does not want to continue with the special provisions granted to any community or state in the country. The present government is more focused on creation of Uniform Civil Code."
Many religious leaders and seers pointed to the cultural links between Kashmir and rest of the country and said it was an opportunity to "reintegrate"
Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati said: "I was waiting for this historic decision since a long time. Today, the dirty diplomacy of British Raj has been defeated."
D M Diwakar, former Director of A N Sinha Institute of Social Studies, Patna, said: "As a matter of principle, I am in favour of scrapping of Article 370 but the manner in which it is being done by not taking the people of the state into confidence is absolutely not correct."