PrimeMinister Narendra Modi on Thursday defended the abrogation of Article 370 afterpaying glowing tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on National Unity Day. Modisaid that the special status provisions only generated terrorism in Jammu andKashmir.
Addressinga function at the Statue of Unity on the occasion of Patel's 144thbirth anniversary, Modi led the gathering in taking the national unity pledge.
Referringto the bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories, Modi said that thenew system in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is not meant to draw a line on theland (to draw a boundary) but to build a strong link of trust.
The PrimeMinister said that his government is working for emotional, economic andconstitutional integration of the country, without which it would be difficultto imagine a powerful India in the 21st century.
Takinga jibe at Pakistan, Modi said those who cannot win wars against India aretrying to destroy its unity.
He furtherstated that the country took the decision of abrogation of Article 370, whichhad only given separatism and terrorism to that state.
Talkingabout terrorism, Modi said that over 40,000 people lost their lives in threedecades of terrorism adding that it was Patel's inspiration which made him takethe decision to abrogate Article 370, and he dedicates the decision at the feetof the first home minister of the country.
Modisaid, "North East is now moving from separatism to attachment as decades-oldproblems are nearing resolution," referring to his government's initiatives tobring peace to the insurgency-affected region.
