Jammu, June 22: Indian Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar Thursday said Article 370 was temporary and still lasted for 70 long years while as J&K witnessed a remarkable growth post August 5, 2019. He said Shama Prassad Mukherji’s dream of seeing Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan and Ek Nishan stands fulfilled today with J&K’s complete integration with the Union of India.
Addressing the Jammu University Convocation, the Vice President of India, as reported by news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that Article 370 was temporary and still lasted for 70 long years. “We are happy today, it not there in J&K,” he said. “Today, the dream of Dr Shama Prassad Mukherji—aik mulq mei dou nishan, dou Pradhan nahi chaleingay, stands fulfilled. With J&K’s complete integration, there is Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan and Ek Nishan from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.”
The VP said that post abrogation of Article 370, J&K has witnessed a remarkable growth. “J&K’s integration with the Union has paved the way for investment, tourism boom and development. Jammu will be an education hub. J&K today has all top institutions of the country be that IIM, IIT and even AIIMS,” he said.
The VP said that the architect of Indian constitution Dr B R Ambedkar declined to draft Article 370 as he had a great vision. “200 State laws have been repealed and 100 laws modified post 370 abrogation. Roads are being constructed and there is a huge growth in every sector. Banihal tunnel, Chenani-Nashiri tunnel and world’s highest rail bridge over river Chenab have been completed,” he said, adding that India is the world’s growing economy and marching ahead with digital transformation.
“We have 700 million internet users which is more than the US and China. Democracy is flourishing and is on the rise. Today, we are all proud Indians. We haven’t seen Bharat of today as ever before,” he said, adding that nobody will be allowed to impede the upward growth trajectory. “We are a constitutionally functional democracy. Our democracy starts from Panchayat level, district level, State level and then Central level. We have an incredible political eco-system. We find Indian genius in every part of the world today,” he said.
Without naming any country or any person, the VP said that false narratives are set afloat in an “orchestrated manner, by forces inimical to India. “Some of us don’t take it seriously. If the majority decides to stay silent, that means silence forever. These nefarious designs will never be allowed to succeed in our land,” he said.
About the successful G-20 meet in Srinagar, the Tourism Working Group meeting was a remarkable success. “We never stop dreaming as all our dreams will get fulfilled,” he said. On the corruption, the VP said that all the escape routes have been cut for the stakeholders of corruption and “all of them are accountable to law.”