'Article 370 now 'history', will never come back': Amit Shah at BJP manifesto launch for J&K polls

JAMMU: Highlighting an appreciable decrease in terror-related and stone-pelting incidents in the past 10 years in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asserted that Article 370 has become "history" and will never make a comeback.

Releasing the BJP's manifesto for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls at a press conference here, Shah also questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on his party's alliance with the National Conference (NC), and urged people to vote for the BJP to continue good governance.

He said the last 10-year period will be written about in golden letters in the history of the country and Jammu and Kashmir.

Shah reached Jammu earlier in the day on a two-day visit to kickstart the BJP's campaign for the assembly polls scheduled to be held in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. This is the first election in the erstwhile state after its special status under Article 370 of the Constitution was revoked and it was bifurcated into two Union territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh – in August 2019.

"It is sad; I have gone through the agenda of the NC and seen the Congress supporting it. I want to make it clear to the whole country that Article 370 and Article 35A have become history and will never make a comeback," Shah said before talking about his party's manifesto.

He said Article 370 is not part of the Constitution anymore. "This Article was the reason why weapons and stones were handed to the youth and they were then facilitated to tread the path of terrorism instead of contributing to development," Shah added.

The BJP leader also accused the previous governments of bowing down before separatism, and said peace, development and social justice were restored on the ground after the abrogation of Article 370.

"There used to be a time when separatists were calling the shots and making demands. The governments were bowing down before groups like the Hurriyat Conference… different state and non-state actors linked to terrorism and separatism destabilised J&K as all the governments were involved in appeasement. But after 2014, whenever the history of India and J&K will be written, I believe these 10 years will be written about in golden words," he said.

Shah added that the past 10 years saw peace, prosperity and development.

"The sound of guns and bomb blasts used to be heard in Kashmir for a very long time but everything changed in the last 10 years. A total of 7,217 (terror-related) incidents happened between 2004 and 2014 but the number dropped to 2,272 between 2014 and 2024, marking a 70 per cent decrease. The overall killings also dropped by 76 per cent and civilian killings by 80 per cent while there is a huge downward trend in security force casualties," the minister said.

He said stone-pelting incidents dropped from 2,654 in 2010 to zero post-August 2019, while Pakistan-sponsored strikes also came down to zero from 132 earlier.

Not a single person died nor were security personnel injured in stone peltings as compared to 112 deaths in the previous years, Shah said.

"After 30 years, Kashmir tourism has got a big boost. Nightshows have become the new reality and processions by Shia mourners are being allowed for the first time in more than 32 years. Amarnath Yatra and Vaishno Devi pilgrimage also witnessed record-breaking numbers," he said.

Referring to the NC manifesto, Shah said, "How could a party issue such a manifesto and the Congress support it? I want to ask Rahul Gandhi to make the party's position clear to the nation. Does it agree with the NC's agenda or not? Give us an answer in simple yes or no."

"Your silence will not help. People know what is on the NC agenda, which talks about the release of stone pelters, review of cases of those arrested for terror links, review of strict action taken against relatives of terrorists and restoration of two flags by restoring Article 370," he said.

Shah said the NC manifesto also talks about reviewing the reservation policy and said, "I want to tell Omar Abdullah that whatever the results, we will not allow you to touch the reservation granted to Gujjars, Bakerwals and Pahadis."

"The BJP, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, granted reservation and ensured social justice for various communities post abrogation of Article 370," he said, pledging to uphold the reservation to the communities.

The Union home minister said Jammu and Kashmir has always been important to his party and continuous attempts were made to ensure that it remained a part of the country since Independence.

"From Pandit Prem Nath Dogra to the martyrdom of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the struggle started by Bharatiya Jana Sangh was taken to its logical conclusion by the BJP because we believe that J&K is and will remain an integral part of India, and there should be no doubt in it," he added.

Earlier, Shah said, democracy used to be restricted to three families in Jammu and Kashmir with no election to local bodies, including panchayats.

"The BJP restored grassroots democracy by holding elections to panchayats and municipalities. Earlier, when 10 per cent voting used to take place in Kashmir, the national newspapers used to make it a headline… We had 98.3 per cent polling in panchayats and a record-breaking 58.46 per cent in the recent (Lok Sabha) elections, showing that the people in both the divisions are with democracy," he added.