New Delhi: The Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh has said Article 370 was regressive and had led the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir into economic deprivation. Terming Article 370 as an “aberration” and calling it a “miscarriage of justice”, he said several path breaking Central Laws including Ban on Child Marriages, anti-dowry legislations, Right To Education, Minimum Wages Act and the Triple Talaq ban were not implemented in the State. Dr. Jitendra Singh was addressing a group of 22 students from Delhi University here today.
The Union Minister said Article 35A also was against daughters’ right to equality by depriving them of Inheritance Rights. There was rampant violation of Human Rights of Girl Child as Child Marriages were not banned in the state, besides polygamy was also prevalent.
With the abrogation of the two Articles, Dr. Jitendra Singh said the two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakhare on the path to rapid development. He said the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has sanctioned two AIIMS for the UT of J&K, – the only state or UT in the country with two AIIMS. Besides, nine medical colleges and an IIT and IIM are being set up in the J&K UT. The government also proposes to set up Apple, Strawberry and Cherry Parks that will give a boost to the horticulture sector in the newly created UT.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said three decades of terrorism in J&K had severely crippled the region’s economy. “Tourism was on the decline and filmmakers had deserted the region’s scenic locations”, he said. “We will hopefully wipe out terrorism from J&K by next year”, he added.
Complimenting the students on Children’s Day, Dr. Jitendra Singh remarked 70% of India’s population is less than 40-years-old. “The youth will bring about qualitative and quantitative change as India embarks on the journey to being an economic powerhouse and among the superpowers”, he said.
