Article 370 abrogation provided freedom from fear, says Manoj Sinha
The Lieutenant Governor stated that the move allowed citizens to access rights that were previously unavailable for decades.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Saturday that the removal of Article 370 allowed common people in Jammu and Kashmir to live without fear and access rights that had been withheld for decades. Speaking at a gathering in Srinagar to mark the eighth Union Territory Foundation Day, Sinha said the region has become a model for governance and peace.
According to The New Indian Express, the event coincided with the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Sinha noted that since the 2019 changes, opportunities have grown and public involvement in democracy has increased through grassroots institutions and Assembly elections.
The Lieutenant Governor stated that more than 780 terrorists have been killed since 2020 and that stone-pelting has been eliminated. He added that a zero-tolerance policy against terror networks has helped restore normal life, while action against narco-terrorism has led to the arrest of thousands of drug smugglers this year.
Sinha criticised unnamed individuals for making remarks about India instead of recognising its achievements on the international stage. He said there is no place for conflict entrepreneurs in the region and alleged that some people want to push Jammu and Kashmir back towards violence.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his ministers did not attend the events, as the National Conference has been seeking the restoration of statehood. The Centre scrapped the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, and the reorganisation took effect on October 31, 2019.