The decision of the Indian Government on the formation of the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in the north of the country formally entered into force on Thursday.
“Today, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are taking a step towards a new future”, – said Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of the Republic, speaking in Gujarat on the occasion of National Unity Day. His words are quoted by the NDTV channel.
According to the Prime Minister, the creation of these two administrative units on the basis of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir was timed to coincide with the 144th anniversary of the famous Indian independence fighter Wallabhai Patel.
As Modi noted, Article 370 of the Indian constitution, which endowed Jammu and Kashmir with special status, brought the region “only separatism and terrorism”.
“This is the only place in our country where such an article was in force, because of which 40 thousand people have died at the hands of terrorists over the past 30 years”, – the Indian leader said.
On August 5, New Delhi announced a decision to repeal article 370 of the constitution, thereby abolishing the state of Jammu and Kashmir and creating two allied territories in this region: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Neighboring Pakistan strongly condemned this decision. Following this, the situation in this already troubled disputed region has become even more aggravated.