Prime Minister Modi delivered his seventh consecutive Independence Day speech today
New Delhi:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that elections could soon be held in Jammu and Kashmir, pending the completion of the ongoing demarcation process, and that his government is “determined” to ensure that the Union territory has “its own chief minister and its own ministers”.
Addressing the nation from the ramparts of Delhi’s iconic Red Fort during the 74th Independence Day celebrations, the Prime Minister also said the past year had been a “development journey” for J&K and had seen “a life of dignity” for the refugees.
“The delimitation process is underway in Jammu and Kashmir. Once it is completed, elections will take place. Jammu and Kashmir will have its own chief minister and ministers. We commit to it.” Prime Minister Modi said in his speech – seventh in a row Independence Day speech and a second since the BJP-led NDA came to power in last year’s general election.
“This is a year of a new development journey for J&K. This is the year of rights received by women and Dalits from J&K. This year is also the year of a life of dignity for refugees from J&K, ”he said.
It is also the Prime Minister’s second speech on Independence Day since his government withdrew its special status from J&K and divided the former state into two Union Territories.
Last year, three days after the suspension of Article 370 and a week before India’s 73rd Independence Day, Prime Minister Modi said J&K would not remain union territory for long and his government wanted elections to be held.
Describing – the suspension of Article 370 – as a “step taken with a lot of thought,” the Prime Minister said: “We want elections to take place. People will soon have the opportunity to choose their elected officials. They will choose their deputies. , their ministers and their chief minister “.
Jammu and Kashmir has been without an elected government since the fall of the BJP-PDP coalition in 2018. Meanwhile, panchayat polls scheduled for March this year have been postponed to February due to public order concerns.
The contested decision on Article 370 of the Constitution was preceded by the detention of traditional political leaders, restrictions on movement and thefts of tens of thousands of soldiers. He also saw a communications ban that included the suspension of broadband internet.
The government said measures had been taken to prevent violence. Union Interior Minister Amit Shah later stressed that no bloodshed had taken place and “not a single bullet was fired”.
Prime Minister Modi’s Independence Day speech today also included a veiled warning to Pakistan and China about border issues in J&K and Ladakh. Indian soldiers have given an appropriate response to anyone who challenges the sovereignty of the country “from the LoC to the LAC,” he said.
