Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!🌟 Welcome to JK Monitor, where every story matters and every achievement is celebrated! We invite you to share the remarkable journey of your life and showcase your accomplishments to the world. Join our exclusive interviews that honor exceptional individuals just like you. JAMMU: BJP Spokesperson and former Vice Chairman Balbir Ram Rattan has strongly disagreed with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's assertion that Article 370 was not responsible for the lack of development in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. He said that Article 370 was, in fact, the mother of all ills that kept the region isolated from the full benefits of India's constitutional framework and developmental journey.
Balbir Ram Rattan said that for decades, Article 370 created a psychological barrier between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the country. While the nation progressed rapidly in sectors such as industry, education, healthcare, infrastructure, investment and employment generation, Jammu and Kashmir remained deprived of many opportunities that could have transformed the lives of its people.
He said that several progressive central laws and welfare schemes could not be fully implemented in the erstwhile state because of the special constitutional arrangement. The people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly women, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, refugees and other marginalized sections, were denied many rights and benefits available to citizens in the rest of the country.
Balbir said that Article 370 also encouraged a politics of separatism, which was repeatedly exploited by vested interests. Instead of integrating the region with the national mainstream, it fostered a sense of uncertainty that discouraged large-scale private investment and industrial growth. The resulting lack of economic opportunities contributed to unemployment and frustration among the youth.
Referring to the developments witnessed after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, Balbir Ram Rattan said that Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed unprecedented progress in road connectivity, railway expansion, tourism, healthcare infrastructure, grassroots democracy and implementation of centrally sponsored welfare schemes. He added that the benefits of governance are now reaching people more effectively and transparently.
"The removal of Article 370 was not merely a constitutional decision but a historic step towards ensuring equality, empowerment and inclusive development for every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir," he said. Balbir Ram Rattan asserted that history will remember Article 370 not as a protector of development, but as an obstacle that delayed the region's full integration and growth. He urged political leaders to acknowledge the transformative changes taking place on the ground and work collectively for a prosperous and peaceful Jammu and Kashmir.
