Prime Minister Modi explained the meaning of the court decision on Article 370 through his article.

The Honorable Supreme Court of India has given a historic verdict on December 11 on the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35 (A). The Honorable Supreme Court in its judgment has upheld the sovereignty and integrity of India, which has always been cherished by every Indian. The Supreme Court is completely justified in saying that the decision taken on 5 August 2019 was taken with the aim of enhancing constitutional integration and not with the aim of disintegration. The Supreme Court has also well recognized the fact that the nature of Article 370 was not permanent.

The beautiful and serene valleys and snow clad mountains of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh have been mesmerizing the hearts of poets, artists and every Indian for generations. It is a wonderful region that is unprecedented in every sense, where the Himalayas seem to touch the sky, and where the clear waters of its lakes and rivers seem to be the mirror of heaven. But for the last several decades, such violence and instability has been seen in many places of Jammu and Kashmir, which cannot even be imagined. The conditions there were such that the hard-working, nature-loving and affectionate people of Jammu and Kashmir should never have had to face them.

But unfortunately, due to being colonized for centuries, especially being economically and mentally dependent, the society at that time became kind of confused. Instead of adopting a clear approach on very basic issues, a situation of dilemma remained, which created more confusion. Sadly, Jammu and Kashmir suffered massive losses due to this kind of mentality.

At the time of the country’s independence, the then political leadership had the option of making a new beginning for national unity. But then it was decided instead to continue with the same confused society approach, even if this meant ignoring long-term national interests.

I have had the opportunity to be associated with the Jammu and Kashmir movement since the early stages of my life. My concept has always been such that Jammu and Kashmir was not just a political issue, rather it was about fulfilling the aspirations of the society. Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee had got an important portfolio in the Nehru cabinet and he could have remained in the government for a long time. Nevertheless, he left the Cabinet over the Kashmir issue and chose the difficult path forward, even if it cost him his life. But due to his tireless efforts and sacrifice, crores of Indians became emotionally connected to the Kashmir issue.

Many years later, Atal ji gave an impressive message of ‘Humanity’, ‘Democracy’ and ‘Kashmiriyat’ in a public meeting in Srinagar, which has always been a great source of inspiration.

I have always firmly believed that what happened in Jammu and Kashmir was a major betrayal of our nation and its people. I also had a strong desire to do whatever I can to eradicate this stigma and this injustice done to people. I always wanted to work to alleviate the suffering of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

To put it simply, Articles 370 and 35(A) were big hurdles for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. These articles were like an unbreakable wall and were painful for the poor, the deprived, the Dalits, the backward classes and the women. Because of Article 370 and 35(A), the people of Jammu and Kashmir never got the rights and development that their fellow countrymen got. Because of these articles, distances arose between people of the same nation. Because of this distance, many people in our country who wanted to work to solve the problems of Jammu and Kashmir were unable to do so, even though they clearly felt the pain of the people there. .

As an activist who has followed this issue closely over the past several decades, he was well aware of the nuances and complexities of this issue. I was very clear about one thing – the people of Jammu and Kashmir want development and they want to contribute to the development of India on the basis of their strength and skills. They want a better quality of life for their children, a life free from violence and uncertainty.

Thus, while serving the people of Jammu and Kashmir, we gave priority to three things – understanding the concerns of the citizens, building mutual trust through the actions of the government and giving priority to development, sustained growth.

I remember, in 2014, soon after we assumed power, there were devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir, which caused a lot of damage in the Kashmir Valley. In September 2014, I went to Srinagar to assess the situation and also announced Rs 1000 crore as special assistance for rehabilitation. This also sent a message to the people that how sensitive our government is to help the people there during the crisis. I have had the opportunity to meet people from different walks of life in Jammu and Kashmir and one common thread emerges from these conversations – people not only want development, but they also want freedom from decades of corruption. That year I decided not to celebrate Diwali in memory of those who lost their lives in Jammu and Kashmir. I also decided to be present in Jammu and Kashmir on the day of Diwali.

To further strengthen the development journey of Jammu and Kashmir, we have decided that the ministers of our government will visit there frequently and communicate directly with the people there. These successive visits also played an important role in maintaining goodwill in Jammu and Kashmir. More than 150 ministerial visits took place between May 2014 and March 2019. This is a record in itself. The Special Package of 2015 was an important step towards meeting the development needs of Jammu and Kashmir. This included initiatives related to infrastructure development, employment generation, promotion of tourism and providing support to the handicraft industry.

Recognizing the potential of sports power to realize the dreams of the youth, we made full use of it in Jammu and Kashmir. Through various sports, we saw the transformative impact of sports activities on the aspirations and future of the youth there. During this period, various sports venues were modernized, training programs were organized and trainers were made available. The most unique thing among all these was the encouragement of establishment of football clubs at the local level. Its results turned out to be excellent. I am reminded of the name of talented football player Afshan Ashiq. She was part of a group that pelted stones in Srinagar in December 2014, but when given the right encouragement she turned to football, was sent for training and excelled in the game. I remember the conversation I had with him during one of the ‘Fit India Dialogues’ events, in which I said that it is time to move on from ‘Bend it like Beckham’ because now it is ‘Ask it like Afshan’. I am happy that now other youth have started showing their talent in kickboxing, karate and other sports.

Panchayat elections also proved to be an important milestone in the direction of all-round development of this area. Once again, we were faced with the choice of either remaining in power or standing firm on our principles. This choice was never difficult for us and we gave priority to the ideals for which we stand by choosing the option of losing the government. The aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been given top priority. The success of the Panchayat elections indicated the democratic nature of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. I remember a conversation I had with village heads. Apart from other issues, I made a request to him that schools should not be burnt under any circumstances and schools should be protected. I’m glad to see that this was followed. After all, if schools are burnt it is the young children who suffer the most.

The historic day of 5th August is engraved in the heart and mind of every Indian. Our Parliament passed the historic decision to abrogate Article 370 and since then a lot has changed in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. The decision of the judicial court has come in December 2023, but considering the pace of development in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, the people’s court has strongly supported the decision of Parliament to abrogate Articles 370 and 35 (A) four years ago.

At the political level, the last 4 years should be seen as a re-establishment of faith in grassroots democracy. Women, tribals, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and deprived sections of the society were not getting their rights. At the same time, the aspirations of Ladakh were also completely ignored. But, 5 August 2019 changed everything. All central laws are now implemented without any fear or favour, representation has also become more widespread than before. The three-tier Panchayati Raj system has come into force, BDC elections have been held, and refugee communities, who were almost forgotten, have also started getting the benefits of development.

The major schemes of the Central Government have achieved 100 per cent target, all sections of the society have been included in such schemes. These include Saubhagya and Ujjwala schemes. There has been progress in housing, tap water connections and financial inclusion. Infrastructure has also been developed in the health care sector, which has been a big challenge for the people. All villages have achieved Open Defecation Free-ODF Plus status. Government vacancies, which were once prone to corruption and favoritism, have been filled through a transparent and fair process. Other indicators like IMR have shown improvement. The boost in infrastructure and tourism is there for all to see. The credit for this naturally goes to the tenacity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who have time and again shown that they only want development and are willing to be the vehicles of this positive change. Earlier, there was a question mark on the situation in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Now, people are pleasantly surprised to hear about record growth, record development, record arrivals of tourists.

The Supreme Court in its decision of 11 December has strengthened the spirit of ‘One India, Best India’. It reminded us that unity and a shared commitment to good governance is our identity. Today, every child born in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh gets a clean environment in which he can realize his future full of vibrant aspirations. Today people’s dreams are not dependent on the past, but are about the possibilities of the future. Disillusionment, despair and frustration in Jammu and Kashmir have now been replaced by development, democracy and dignity.

-Narendra Modi

(The author is the Prime Minister of India)