JAMMU, Jan 2: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said today that Article 370 of the Constitution of India granting special status to erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir had sown seeds of separatism among youth of Kashmir which resulted into spread of terrorism leading to killing of 40,000 people and declared that there has been a decline of 70 percent in terror-related incidents post abrogation of the Article.“Some say Kashmir is Muslim majority area but there are many other Muslim dominated places where there is no terrorism. Others say Jammu and Kashmir has border (with Pakistan) but Gujarat and Rajasthan have also borders with the same neighbour. Actually, it was Article 370 which sent a message that Kashmir’s relations with India are temporary and this contributed in sowing seeds of separatism among the youth,” Shah said while addressing a function at the book (‘Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh: Through the Ages’) launch ceremony in New Delhi this afternoon.He said feeling of the separatism was converted into terrorism which took the toll of 40,000 people and naked dance of terrorism continued for several years. However, after abrogation of Article 370 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 5, 2019, the terror incidents have gone down by 70 percent in Jammu and Kashmir, he added.“As many as 2100 stone pelting incidents took place in the year 2018 but in 2024, not even a single such incident occurred. Voting record of 31 years was broken in Lok Sabha and Assembly elections last year. Deep-rooted democracy is in place in Jammu and Kashmir with three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs),” the Home Minister said.Referring to insertion of Article 370, he said the people didn’t want it and the Constituent Assembly was also divided. Some people with farsightedness got the word temporary inserted in the Constitution.
“But it was Narendra Modi Government which erased dark chapter of post-independence history on August 5, 2019”.
Shah said Article 370 and Article 35A, both of which were abrogated on August 5, 2019, were the key hurdles in the way of full integration of Kashmir into India.
He said Kashmir was, is and will always remain an integral part of India.
Shah mentioned major developmental works undertaken in Jammu and Kashmir including world’s highest railway arch bridge, Asia’s longest tunnel and India’s first cable stayed bridge among others besides several Medical Colleges, AIIMS, IIM, IIT etc. He questioned that if all this can be done in just 10 years why not even 10 percent of this was done during last 70 years.
“Last year, 2.11 crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir. Films are being shot like sixties. Night life is being seen after 30 years in the Valley. Janamashtami procession was taken out at Lal Chowk. Tazia procession was held after 34 years in Srinagar. And, all this was possible because of August 5, 2019 decisions,” the Home Minister said, adding that Rs 80,000 crore worth package given to J&K by the Prime Minister is on the ground.
Referring to Kashmir’s relations with the rest of India, the Home Minister said India is the only country in the world which is geo-cultural and whose boundaries are formed by its culture. India can be understood only from the Indian perspective and not from the geo-political perspective, he said, adding that from the Silk Route to Central Asia and from Shankaracharya temple to Hemis monastery; and from trade to spirituality, strong foundations of both are present in and of Kashmir’s culture.
Shah said the Modi Government not only ended terrorism in Kashmir but also the ecosystem of terrorism.
“Kashmir’s development was delayed by decades and for years, there was bloodshed in Kashmir and the country had to watch it in silence,” he said.
The Home Minister said Local Bodies elections successfully concluded in Jammu and Kashmir following which more than 25,000 people got elected as Panch, Sarpanch or District Council Members.
“Industries are also coming,” Shah said, adding that in 2024 alone, 324 shootings of films or serials have taken place in Kashmir.The book, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh: Through the Ages, has proved the statement of Shyama Prasad Mookerjee that Jammu and Kashmir is not only a part of India but is also an integral part of the soul of India, he said.
Shah said the book is a historical account of continuity and integration. It has broken the myths prevalent in the country and presented history with truth and evidence, he said.
“This is a great achievement,” he said.
The Home Minister said it is time to get rid of history written to please the rulers and now is the time to write the history of India with facts and evidence and present it to the world.
He said the thousands of years old history of every corner of India has enriched the world civilisation, but during the period of slavery, despicable efforts were made to forget it.
Shah said the book proves that the culture, languages, scripts, spiritual ideas, art of pilgrimage sites, trade and commerce scattered in every corner of India, were present in Kashmir for 10,000 years and came to the country from there.
Many dignitaries including Union Minister of Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) and Editor of the book Prof. Raghuvendra Tanwar were present on the occasion.
Shah said the book has effectively dismantled a long-standing myth about India by presenting facts and evidence, thereby establishing historical truths. He said that there was a myth that India was never united and the idea of independence for this country was meaningless – a misconception that many had come to accept as truth.
Amit Shah highlighted the similar distortions that have affected the history of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh. He asserted that interpreting the history of these regions by manipulating facts is both futile and misleading. Such distortions, he remarked, could only stem from the works of historians with a myopic vision. Those who know about India’s illustrious past will never commit such mistakes.
Shah pointed out that the book demonstrates, with evidence, that the culture, languages, scripts, spiritual philosophies, art forms, pilgrimage traditions, and trade practices found throughout India have been present in Kashmir for at least thousand years. He emphasized that once this historical truth is established, questioning Kashmir’s union with India becomes irrelevant.He added that this book proves that our rich heritage, scattered across every corner of the country, has been present in Kashmir for thousands of years. The book draws upon references to Kashmir from texts as old as 8,000 years, reaffirming its integral role in the nation’s history. The Home Minister firmly stated that Kashmir always has been and will continue to remain an inseparable part of India. He stressed that no legal provision could ever sever this bond, and while there were attempts to separate Kashmir from India in the past, time itself has nullified those efforts. He said that Modi Government is committed to revive the historic and cultural heritage of Kashmir, and we will soon reclaim what has been lost.
He remarked that the relationship between Kashmir, Ladakh, Shaivism, and Buddhism has been eloquently captured in this book and exhibition. He commended the documentation of scripts, knowledge systems, spirituality, culture, and languages, emphasizing the meticulous effort that went into presenting this rich heritage. The book vividly chronicles the journey of Buddhism-from Nepal to Bihar via Kashi, and onward to Afghanistan through Kashmir.
He highlighted that Kashmir was the birthplace of the refined principles of Buddhism that emerged after Lord Buddha, as well as the foundation for many of the teachings that shape modern Buddhism. The book also features sculptures from Drass and Ladakh, discussions and images of stupas, depictions of temple ruins destroyed by invaders, and references to the use of Sanskrit in Jammu and Kashmir, as described in Rajatarangini. Covering Kashmir’s 8,000-year history, he likened this comprehensive effort to encapsulating the sacred Ganga within a vessel.
The Home Minister reflected on the vast and, at times, challenging nature of history. He noted that for 150 years, some people’s understanding of history was confined to narrow geographies-from Dariba to Ballimaran or Lutyens to Gymkhana. He stressed that history cannot be written from a distance but requires engaging directly with the people and understanding their lived experiences.
Shah highlighted that Kashmir and Ladakh have historically served as centres of civilization, fostering creation, preservation, and cultural promotion. Numerous examples of this rich legacy are detailed in the book. He noted that Kashmir has always been a land of inclusivity, embracing and nurturing diverse faiths. Whether it is Buddhism, Sufism, or Shaivism, each tradition has found the freedom to thrive on Kashmiri soil.
Shah also pointed out that Kashmir is often referred to as the land of Kashyap, underscoring its historical and spiritual significance.
He highlighted the linguistic diversity of India as one of its greatest strengths, which is particularly evident in Kashmir. He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has revitalized regional languages by forming two Union Territories and recognizing their official languages. While Hindi, English, and Sanskrit have retained their importance, Modi has ensured the survival and growth of languages like Kashmiri, Balti, Dogri, Ladakhi, and Zanskari by incorporating them into governance.
Shah emphasized that this effort reflects Modi’s sensitivity and commitment to preserving the cultural and linguistic heritage of the nation, especially for languages spoken by small number of populations. Shah remarked that Kashmir has long suffered under the onslaught of fundamentalists, invaders, and plunderers with expansionist ambitions.
