Abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution has led to integration of the Jammu and Kashmir with the national mainstream and has opened doors for increased investments and development, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar said on Friday.
The Vice President highlighted the establishment of national institutes in the area and mentioned that the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) would soon become fully functional, further contributing to the growth and well-being of the region.
"The integration of the region with the national mainstream has paved the way for more investments and development. All national institutes are here now and in some time even AIIMS will be fully functional here," he said.
It has also led to increased air and road connectivity to the region, he added.
The Vice President on underlined that drafting committee chairperson Dr. BR Ambedkar had declined to draft Article 370.
"Dr Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, drafted all the articles but declined to draft the Article 370. He declined. We are happy without this article," the Vice President said.
He was delivering the convocation address at Jammu University.
Article 370 had conferred special status on Jammu and Kashmir.
In August 2019, the Central government abrogated Article 370, which resulted in the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status. The erstwhile State was subsequently bifurcated into two Union Territories.
Dhankhar said that Article 370 was an aberration and was meant to be a temporary measure and he had personally advocated for the abrogation of Article 370 for two decades.
Referring to the constitution, Vice President Dhankhar pointed out that Article 35A and 370 were initially introduced as temporary provisions, which lasted for 20 years. He expressed his contentment that they are no longer in effect.
"Personally for twenty years I have advocated for this. This was an aberration. See the constitution.. this article was put as a temporary article and it lasted 20 years and we are happy it is no longer there," he said.
He highlighted the words of Dr Syama Prasad Mookherjee, stating that his slogan, "एक देश में दो विधान दो प्रधान और दो निशान नहीं चलेंगे" (In one country, two constitutions, two principals and two emblems will not work), has now become a reality.
He credited the visionary approach of Dr. Mookherjee for the developments witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of these articles.
"The slogan which Dr Syama Prasad Mookherjee gave has come true. The development which Jammu and Kashmir has seen after the abrogation of Articles 35A and 370 is a testimony to the vision and foresight of Dr Syama Prasad Mookherjee," he said.