New Delhi, Aug 05 : Terming the provision as “archaic” that worked against the Kashmiris, billionaire businessman Sajjan Jindal has welcomed the abolition of Article 370 that offered special status to Jammu & Kashmir by the government, saying it will ensure the state joins the mainstream.
Under the abolished Constitutional provision, only the permanent residents of the state could invest in immovable properties which used to hamper investments in the Himalayan state.
“Article 370 (abrogation) is a landmark decision by any standard. It is a strong move by the Narendra Modi and Amit Shah,” Jindal tweeted.
The government should call for an emergency parliament session and abolish Article 370. Let the country see which party supports this and which doesn’t.
The decision will ensure J&K enter the ” mainstream” and become a part of “collective growth”, he added.
He said the existence of the Article was the result of “unfortunate politicisation” of the Valley and alleged that it has worked against the common good of the Kashmiris.
The industrialist, who heads the diversified JSW Group, said he hopes the local community in Kashmir sees this “only as a positive move” for their benefit.
Supporting the move, another businessman and RPG Enterprises chairman Harsh Goenka said it has been a “landmark fortnight” starting with the Chandrayaan 2 launch, which has also seen abolition of triple talaq and now Article 370.
“Historic day. One flag. One nation. One Constitution,” he said on the micro-blogging site.
In a tweet before the happenings in Parliament, which came in hours after prominent political leaders, including Omar Abdullah being put under house arrest, Mahindra group chairman Anand Mahindra accepted that he cannot pretend this to be just another Monday morning.
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“The entire country is waiting to exhale over Kashmir. Can only pray for the safety of everyone there and for an outcome that makes the nation stronger and the future more positive,” he wrote.
It can be noted that earlier in the day, the government abolished Article 370 that gave special status to J&K and moved a separate Bill to bifurcate the state into two separate Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir with local government, and Ladakh without a local government, amid massive Opposition uproar in the Rajya Sabha.
Home minister Amit Shah moved a resolution in the House to abolish Article 370 after President Ram Nath Kovind issued a notification in this regard and also moved the J&K Reorganisation Bill 2019.
The Opposition, led by the Congress, criticised the move comparing it with chopping off the head of a body and said that we lose our identity with this.
