PM Modi clarified that the restoration of Article 370 lies beyond the purview of the opposition.Prime Minister Narendra Modi has challenged the Congress and other opposition parties regarding the reinstatement of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
While talking about Article 370 during an interview with a news channel, PM Modi said that anyone with a grasp of India’s constitution and federal framework, along with an understanding of jurisdictional matters, would refrain from making such claims.
PM Modi clarified that the restoration of Article 370 lies beyond the purview of the opposition. He added that even the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir lacks the authority to enact such a measure.
He said that both the central and state governments will adhere strictly to their respective jurisdictions. “But fooling the people is a trend nowadays – to keep them in the dark. That’s why they keep saying anything at all,” he said.
PM Modi then dared the Congress to hold a press conference and say it will reinstate Article 370. In a continued critique of the grand old party, he pointed out that while the Congress boasts about its reverence for the Constitution and Dr BR Ambedkar, its actions sometimes contradict these lofty claims.
“I challenge the Congress party to hold a press conference and say they will restore 370. They talk big about the Constitution. They talk about Babasaheb Ambedkar. They abuse us so much. But Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution was not applicable for the entire nation. For 70 years, the Indian Constitution was not applicable in Jammu and Kashmir. There, Dalits are getting reservation for the first time [after the Article 370 move]. The Valmiki community is getting reservation for the first time. What are they talking about? Do they have the courage to hold a press conference and say ‘we’ll bring back Article 370’? Can any party dare say that?” he said.
The PM claimed that Dalits and Valmikis are now benefiting from reservations in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time following the abrogation of Article 370.
On August 5, 2019, the Narendra Modi government revoked Article 370, thereby ending the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. This decision led to the reorganisation of the erstwhile state into two Union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
On December 11 last year, the Supreme Court upheld the abrogation of Article 370, dismissing arguments that it was a permanent provision. The court also directed the holding of elections in the region by September 2024 and urged for the restoration of statehood.
During a recent rally in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur, PM Modi expressed optimism, stating, “The day is not far when assembly elections will be conducted in Jammu and Kashmir, and statehood will be reinstated.”
Meanwhile, the Congress party’s 2024 manifesto remains silent on Article 370, Section 124A, Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the reduction in CRPF personnel in Kashmir, and amendments to AFSPA. However, the manifesto emphasises the party’s commitment to granting full state status to Jammu and Kashmir. After the top court judgement last year, the Congress took a cautious line disagreeing with the judgment “on the manner in which Article 370 was abrogated” but arguing at the same time that the party had never “asked for restoration of Article 370”. It demanded immediate restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and called for the Assembly elections to be held without delay.