Salman Khurshid backs Article 370 abrogation, calls it key to Kashmir's integration and progress

PTC Web Desk: Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid, speaking during an international engagement in Indonesia, said the now-revoked Article 370 of the Constitution had for years perpetuated a perception that Jammu and Kashmir was separate from the rest of India. He praised the Central Government's 2019 decision to abrogate the Article, asserting that it ended this longstanding notion of exclusivity.

“Article 370 created the impression that Jammu and Kashmir was somehow not fully integrated with India. That perception, which was a major issue, has now been decisively addressed with the Article’s abrogation,” Khurshid said while interacting with members of Indonesian think tanks and academics. He said the move had helped integrate the region more fully into the national mainstream.

Highlighting the developments since the constitutional change, Khurshid pointed to high voter participation in recent elections as a positive sign. “We witnessed 65% voter turnout in subsequent elections. Today, there is an elected government in place in Jammu and Kashmir, which reflects the democratic engagement of the people,” he added.

According to Khurshid, the region has seen growing prosperity post-abrogation, and he warned against efforts to reverse these gains. “Any call to undo what has been achieved disregards the improvements and hope that have emerged in the region,” he said.

Khurshid, who earlier served as India’s External Affairs Minister, is part of an all-party parliamentary delegation currently touring Southeast and East Asia. The delegation, led by Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, is visiting Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore to present India's position on regional security and to brief partner nations on Operation Sindoor, a diplomatic initiative focused on strategic collaboration in the Indo-Pacific.

The political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir remains dynamic. Following the 2024 Assembly elections, the newly-formed coalition government led by Omar Abdullah introduced a resolution seeking the restoration of Article 370. The Congress is a coalition partner in this government, though it has since publicly clarified its stance.

Initially critical of the 2019 abrogation, the Congress party has shifted its position in light of the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling that upheld the legality of the Central Government's move. The party has now declared the matter constitutionally closed, stating that there is no further legal challenge pending.

Meanwhile, the BJP continues to vehemently oppose any attempt to revive Article 370. Responding to the proposed resolution in the J&K Assembly, BJP leaders reiterated that the special status will never be reinstated, emphasising the permanence of the constitutional change.