Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh claimed that the historic decision to abrogate Article 370 brought citizenship rights to a vast population in Jammu & Kashmir who were deprived of it for the last seven decades.

“Post-Article 370 abrogation, Jammu & Kashmir emerged as the torchbearer of India’s future growth story,” the Union minister said.

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He said for the first time, the unexplored natural resources and dormant human resources within J&K have emerged on the surface, the latest example being that of the “Purple Revolution” originating from Bhaderwah which has given India a new genre of Agri-StartUps and holds the promise of contributing significant value addition to India’s economy as it rises to number 3 in next few years and then to the top.

“As we celebrate the 5th anniversary some significant developments are highly notable. In the last 5 years transformation has happened broadly at four levels i.e. democratic, governance, development and security situation,” said the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science and Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.

In an exclusive interview to Doordarshan News on the eve of the fifth Anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, Dr. Singh criticised previous governments for posing as the protagonists of Art 370 but were actually abusing Art 370 to exploit the common masses for their vested interests.

Speaking about hardliners and sympathisers, the Union minister said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a decisive stance and those who were hosted as guests by Pak Embassy in New Delhi are now being hosted in Delhi’s Tihar Jail which signifies governments no-tolerance to anti-India activism. He also emphasised that hoisting the National Flag was once a dream for many and now the tricolor is hoisted on every government office in J&K.

At the governance level, Dr. Singh recalled that the 73rd and 74th Amendments of the Panchayat Act were introduced by the Congress government at the Centre but not made applicable in J&K by the same coalition government in the State. Democratic decentralisation could not take place as central funds were not available to them before 2019, he said.

In terms of security and peace in the region, Dr. Singh remarked that “We are in the last phase of militancy. In the last decade and especially in the last 5 years post- Art.370, the Centre has been successful in containing militancy.”

The Union minister explained that pattern-based militancy has reduced. Speaking on the recent terrorist incidents, he said terrorists are on the run and keep attacking soft targets just to stay relevant but soon that too will be contained.

Highlighting the peace and tranquility in the region, Dr. Singh said around 2.5 crore tourists, domestic as well as international, have visited Kashmir in the last two years. People who come here with their families and loved ones is itself evidence of the return of peace. The successful meetings of G20 at Srinagar are also testimony of it, he said.

Dr. Singh highlighted that the youth of J&K is highly aspirational and recent performance of students of the region be it Civil Services, Sports and other higher education, sectors like tourism and hospitality is a testimony to the fact that the aspiration which remained dormant for many years as the youth had lost hope, has got ignited again. This has boosted the confidence of the youth, he said.