Amit Shah declares Article 370 'dead', dismisses possibility of talks with Pakistan

 Union Home Minister Amit Shah has categorically ruled out the restoration of Article 370 in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) calling the provision "history" that will never return.

During a two-day visit to IIOJK, Amit addressed the region ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections and unveiled the BJP’s manifesto.

He criticised the opposition, particularly the National Conference (NC) and Congress, for pushing the agenda of restoring Article 370 and 35-A, which granted special status to the region.

"Article 370 is history. It brought nothing but guns and stones into the hands of Kashmir's youth," Amit asserted.

Pakistan was also a central focus of Amit’s speech, where he reiterated India’s position of not engaging in dialogue until terrorism from across the border ends.

"Talks and bombs cannot go together. We will not talk to Pakistan, but we will speak to Kashmir's youth, offering them a path of peace and development," he stated firmly.

The Assembly polls, scheduled for three phases between September 18 and October 1, are the first since 2014 and are seen as a barometer of public sentiment in the region.

In a bid to mobilise support for the BJP, Shah emphasised that the abrogation of Article 370 has brought peace, prosperity, and development to IIOJK.

He highlighted a 70% decrease in terror-related incidents from 7,217 cases between 2004 and 2014 to 2,272 from 2014 to 2024. Civilian deaths have also fallen by 80%, while incidents of stone-pelting have dropped to zero since 2019.

"These 10 years, from 2014 to 2024, will be written in golden letters in Jammu and Kashmir's history," Amit declared.

Indian home minister also criticised previous governments for appeasing separatists and allowing groups like the Hurriyat Conference to exert influence over the region.

"Governments used to bow to separatist demands under the shadow of Article 370. Now, peace has returned, tourism is booming, and the sound of guns has vanished," he said, noting that the Amarnath Yatra and Vaishno Devi pilgrimage have seen record-breaking numbers in recent years.

The BJP leader also addressed concerns regarding security in the region, stating that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, terrorism has been brought under control, and a "white paper" will soon be issued to hold accountable those responsible for terrorism in the past.

Amit appealed to voters in IIOJK to give the BJP a five-year mandate to continue its development efforts.

Amit’s visit comes at a time when the political atmosphere in IIOJK remains tense, with Pakistan closely monitoring developments. The region has been a flashpoint between the two nuclear neighbours.

The revocation of Article 370 was lauded by the Indian government as a move toward integrating IIOJK with the rest of the country,

Pakistan continues to challenge this move on international platforms, calling for the restoration of IIOJK’s autonomy.