Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Saturday that the abrogation of Article 370 has brought about a significant change in the mindset of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He highlighted how the youth are now dreaming big and succeeding in competitive examinations. Jammu and Kashmir had also produced civil services toppers when it was a state with Article 370 in place, though participation numbers have increased manifold in recent years.
The minister said, “I think one of the biggest and most significant changes is in the mindset. Today, children from small towns are topping exams. This aspirational surge has taken place because they now feel a sense of belongingness, which wasn’t there earlier. Because of Article 370, they considered themselves different, and people from outside also saw them as different.”
He added, “Earlier, daughters did not have rights over their property, and people who came from Pakistan did not have the right to vote. Now they feel they too are equal citizens of the country.”
When asked about Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) after a recent US map showed it as part of Pakistan, Singh said the Government of India has a firm stance on the issue.
He described PoJK as an “outstanding issue” regarding its reintegration with India. He recalled that in 1994, Parliament had passed a unanimous resolution declaring that the entire Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh are integral parts of India.
“People of PoJK have always been treated as second-class citizens by Islamabad. In 1994, a resolution was adopted in Parliament and the BJP supported it.”
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