New Delhi, May 13: The Modi government did not scrap Article 370, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, because of “sensitive situation” in the state, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has said.
Senior BJP leader Gadkari, however, maintained that the party is committed to scrapping this special provision in the Constitution.
In an interview to journalist Karan Thapar, he said Kashmir needed more industry and investment to create employment, but Article 370 came in the way of getting land.
Asked if abrogation of Article 370 could break the link between Kashmir and other parts of India, Gadkari said the party has been committed to its scrapping but did not do so despite full majority in the Lok Sabha due to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Our party has been committed to abrogating Article 370 for long. But because of the sensitive situation there (J&K), we aren’t doing it. We were in power with full majority this time, still we are not going to implement it. However, as far as the party’s philosophy, policy and approach to it (Article 370) is concerned, we are firm on it,” the minister said, according to the transcript of the interview.
