‘Articles 370 and 35 (A) enhanced constitutional integration’, says PM Modi on SC verdict; pens few thoughts on issue

livemint.com:

Narendra Modi on 12 December took to X to share few thoughts on the Article 370 and Article 35(A). The Prime Minister who hailed the Supreme Court verdict of upholding the Centre's decision to scrap the Article 370 in 2019 took to X and said that the Supreme Court verdict has enhanced constitutional integration. He further added that it has also strengthened the bond of togetherness among the people of India.

PM Modi later penned a few thoughts on the issue and wrote, “Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh’s breathtaking landscapes, serene valleys, and majestic mountains have captivated the hearts of poets, artists and adventurers for generations. It is a place where the sublime meets the extraordinary, where the Himalayas reach for the sky, and where the pristine waters of its lakes and rivers mirror the heavens. But, for the last seven decades, these places have witnessed the worst form of violence and instability, something which the wonderful people never deserved." “Unfortunately, due to centuries of colonisation, most notably economic and mental subjugation, we became a confused society of sorts.

Rather than taking a clear position on very basic things, we allowed duality, leading to confusion. Sadly, Jammu and Kashmir became a big victim of such a mindset. At the time of independence, we had a choice of making a fresh start for national integration.

Instead, we decided to continue with the confused society approach even if it meant ignoring the long-term national interests." The Prime Minister further added, “I have had the opportunity of being connected with the Jammu and Kashmir Andolan from a very early part of my life. I belong to an ideological framework where Jammu and Kashmir was not merely a political issue. But, it