Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Article 370 of Constitution had created “an artificial wall” separating Jammu and Kashmir from the rest of India, Hindustan Times reported. The constitutional provision gave the erstwhile state, which was split into two Union Territories from Thursday, special status.
Modi made the remarks after paying tributes to India’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 144th birth anniversary at the Statue of Unity in the town of Kevadia in Gujarat. He claimed that by revoking Kashmir’s special constitutional status his government had fulfilled Patel’s dream to unite India, and integrate the region with the rest of the country.
“In three decades, over 40,000 people had lost their lives due to terrorism in J&K that had Article 370,” said the prime minister. “How long could the country witness the death of so many innocent people? The wall has been broken down, and Sardar Patel’s dream has come true.”
Modi said a “new age of political stability” and development had dawned in Jammu and Kashmir, where block development council elections were held for the first time since Independence. Almost 98% of panches and sarpanches voted in the elections. “This participation is a message in itself, there will be political stability in the state now.”
The prime minister said he was happy that from now government employees in the new Union Territories would get benefits proposed by the Seventh Pay Commission.
A number of “Run for Unity” events were held across the country to mark Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary. “I thank every citizen for participating in this programme,” ANI quoted Modi as saying. “India is known for unity in diversity; it is our pride and our identity.”
In Delhi, Home Minister Amit Shah flagged off the race from Major Dhyan Chand stadium even as the air quality in the national Capital continued to remain poor. In his address, Shah praised the prime minister for closing the “gateway of terrorism” by revoking articles 370 and 35A.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath flagged off the race in Lucknow while Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan participated in the event in Bhubaneswar. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar flagged off the race in Panchkula while Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were present at the event in Mumbai. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman participated in a walkathon in Chennai.
Activists detained
Meanwhile, the police in Gujarat detained at least eight human rights and Adivasi activists on Wednesday ahead of Modi’s visit to Kevadia, Deccan Herald reported. Among those detained were Praful Vasava, Rohit Prajapati, Krishankant, Shailesh Tadvi, Naresh Tadvi, Gikubhai Tadvi, Narendra Tadvi, and Ramkrishna Tadvi.
While unidentified police officers said the activists were picked up to prevent “law and order” problems, Narmada district Superintendent of Police Himkar Singh refused to comment.
In a press statement, the Boter Gam Aadivasi Samaj and Lokshahi Bachavo Abhiyan said land in six villages had been acquired illegally for the Sardar Sarovar dam in Kevadiya, close to the Patel statue. They claimed that tourism projects associated with the statue had caused environmental destruction.
“The government indulged in loud drum beats of generating employment for local youth via Statue of Unity and tourism then gave them hand carts and vending stalls,” the organisations alleged. “Where is the government promise that seven individuals would get jobs for every Adivasis losing land? The administrators have today destroyed standing crops just to create parking zones for tourists.” They alleged that the leaders had been detained “to suppress the anger of the villagers”.
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