Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid praised the scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. He said the move brought growth to the region. He made these remarks in Indonesia while representing India as part of an all-party outreach delegation.
Article 370 Was a Barrier, Says Khurshid
While addressing Indonesian academics and think tanks on Thursday, Khurshid called Article 370 a major issue. He said it created the false sense that Kashmir was not part of India. “Kashmir had a major problem for a long time. Much of that was reflected in the thinking of the government in an article called Article 370 of the Constitution, which somehow gave the impression that it was separate from the rest of the country. But Article 370 was abrogated, and it was finally put to an end,” he explained.
He Points to High Voter Turnout in Kashmir
Khurshid also mentioned the recent elections in the region. Over 60 percent of voters participated. “Subsequently, there was an election with 65 per cent participation in the election. There’s an elected government in Kashmir today, and therefore, for people to want to undo everything that has happened, the prosperity that has come to Kashmir,” he said.
He Challenges Pakistan’s Claims
Meanwhile, Khurshid dismissed Pakistan’s narrative about unrest in Kashmir. He explained that India took steps to counter false propaganda. Moreover, he emphasized that Kashmir had moved forward since 2019.
“Don’t Hyphenate India and Pakistan,” He Urges
During another event on Friday, Khurshid urged others not to group India with Pakistan. He said India stands on its own and has a bigger global role. “We are asked, why did we stop?… We are not Pakistan; we are much larger than they are. We have a greater role in the world… We got respect not only for our strengths but also for showing confidence in our strengths. We had to do certain things to teach Pakistan a lesson, and then we stopped because we are not greedy for Pakistan, their territory, or to destroy them,” he said.
India Responded to Pakistan’s Ceasefire Request
Khurshid further clarified India’s position. He said India did not initiate contact with Pakistan. Instead, Pakistan’s DGMO called for a ceasefire during ‘Operation Sindoor’. Since then, India has not carried out attacks.
India Seeks Peace, Not Comparison
Lastly, Khurshid stressed India’s peaceful intentions. He said India wants to lead the world without being compared to Pakistan. “We only want to preserve and protect ourselves… We want to lead the world. And in that leadership role, we cannot reduce ourselves to the size and stature of Pakistan… We don’t want a hyphen between India and Pakistan… Talk to us separately… The beauty of our plural culture, the beauty of how we live together and celebrate life together, is something that we want to show… We are patriots. We believe in humanity. We believe in our country because our country is our mother,” he added.
