Jammu, Dec 26: The BJP on Friday reiterated that the abrogation of Article 370 corrected long-standing injustices and placed Jammu and Kashmir on an equal constitutional footing with the rest of the country. Party media in-charge Dr. Pardeep Mahotra said the special provision had denied basic rights to large sections of society for over seven decades.
Speaking in Jammu, Dr. Pardeep said Article 370 created a discriminatory system that excluded West Pakistan Refugees, Gorkhas, Valmiki Samaj members, women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other marginalised groups from full citizenship rights. He pointed out that women lost permanent residency status on marrying outside the state, calling it an unfair and regressive practice.
Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the August 2019 decision was taken to ensure equality, dignity, and access to welfare laws. He added that the move allowed residents of Jammu and Kashmir to benefit from constitutional protections and central social justice legislation.
Dr. Pardeep said governance had suffered under Article 370 due to limited application of transparency and accountability laws, which weakened institutions and encouraged corruption. He noted that economic growth remained slow, with low investment, poor industrial activity, and few employment opportunities for young people.
He further alleged that the provision was exploited to promote separatist narratives, resulting in frequent shutdowns, violence, and instability that affected tourism and daily life.
Paying tribute to Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookherjee, he recalled his stand against dual systems, later upheld by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and implemented under the present leadership.
Dr. Pardeep said over 800 central laws are now in force, improving administration and welfare delivery, and asserted that Article 370 will not be restored.
