'Withdrawal of J&K spl status ended domination of separatists'

Union minister and BJP leader Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday said abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir has ended the "domination" of separatists.

Mandaviya, a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat, said some vested political interests and separatists wanted the special provision for Jammu and Kashmir to remain in force to further their agendas.

In a historic decision, the Centre on August 5 revoked the special status enjoyed by the northern state under Article 370. Subsequently, Parliament also passed a bill to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.

"Every Indian always wanted Kashmir to be an integral part of the country. Their wish has been finally fulfilled with this historic decision to discard Article 370 and 35-A.

"This decision is a tribute to the long struggle of Kashmiri Pandits and those soldiers who have lost their lives fighting terrorists," the MoS for Shipping, Chemicals and Fertilisers said while addressing a press conference.

He claimed that even B R Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, was not in favour of the controversial provision, as it was against the spirit of the Constitution.

"Though Article 370 fuelled terrorism and separatist movements, some vested political interests and separatists wanted this provision to stay. Now, the BJP government at the Centre has put an end to the domination of these separatists by scrapping this provision. People of Jammu and Kashmir would be able to taste the fruits of development," he said.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP rectified the "serious mistakes" committed by the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru regarding annexation of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Since the days of Jana Sangh, our leaders including Syama Prasad Mookerjee have been fighting for a unified nation. Mookerjee led an agitation against Article 370 and gave his life for that cause. The BJP government has done what Congress failed to do in the past 70 years to ensure unity and integrity of India" the BJP leader added.