Kashmir's separation issue ended with Article 370 abrogation: Salman Khurshid

A day after Congress MP Shashi Tharoor spoke about the 2016 and 2019 surgical strikes on Pakistan, Congress leader Salman Khurshid spoke about the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and how it brought prosperity to the Valley while addressing Indonesian think tanks and academia.

 

Khurshid, a member of the all-party delegation visiting partner countries, highlighted India’s zero-tolerance stance on terror and referenced Operation Sindoor during a visit to Indonesia. He said, “Kashmir had a major problem for a long time. Much of that was reflected in the thinking of the government in an article called 370 of the Constitution, which somehow gave the impression that it was separate from the rest of the country. But Article 370 was abrogated, and it was finally put to an end.”

 

He added, “There was an election with 65 per cent participation. There’s an elected government in Kashmir today, and therefore, for people to want to undo everything that has happened—the prosperity that has come to Kashmir…”

 

Article 370 granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir until it was abrogated by the BJP-led central government on August 5, 2019.

Khurshid’s changing stance on Article 370

 

Khurshid’s recent remarks mark a departure from his earlier position. In 2019, he had argued that Article 370 was not a barrier, but a bond that linked Jammu and Kashmir to the rest of India.

 

Congress’ evolving position on Article 370

 

Over the past few years, the Congress party has gradually shifted its stance on the abrogation. At the time of the move, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) strongly opposed the decision, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of bypassing democratic norms.

 

On August 4, 2019, Congress joined other Jammu and Kashmir parties, including the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in defending Article 370 and preserving the region’s special status. However, by November 2020, the party had distanced itself from the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD)—a coalition seeking restoration of Articles 370 and 35A—after criticism from Home Minister Amit Shah.

 

In 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the Centre’s decision to revoke Article 370. Congress accepted the ruling from a legal standpoint but criticised the manner in which the decision was implemented.