NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court verdict to uphold the government's decision to abrogate Article 370, saying the ruling has proved that the August 5, 2019 decision was "completely constitutional".
In a series of posts on X soon after the Supreme Court verdict, Shah, the architect of the entire move to abrogate Article 370, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a visionary decision five years ago that brought peace and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.
"I welcome the Honourable Supreme Court of India's verdict upholding the decision to abolish Article 370. On August 5, 2019, PM Narendra Modi took a visionary decision to abrogate Article 370. Since then peace and normalcy have returned to J&K," he said.
The home minister said growth and development have brought new meaning to human life in the valley, which was once torn by violence.
He said prosperity in the tourism and agriculture sectors has raised the income levels of the residents of both Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
"Today, the Supreme Court's verdict has proved that the decision to abrogate Article 370 was completely constitutional," he wrote on X with the hashtag #NayaJammuKashmir.
Shah said after the abrogation of Article 370, the rights of the poor and deprived have been restored, and separatism and stone pelting are now things of the past.
The entire region now echoes with melodious music and cultural tourism and the bonds of unity have strengthened, and Jammu and Kashmir's integrity with 'Bharat' stands reinforced.
"It is once again the Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh that always belonged to our nation and will continue to be so," he said.
Shah said under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the NDA government is committed to establishing lasting peace in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and the all-round development of the region.
"Whether it is boosting the local economy with new incentives, building state-of-the-art educational infrastructure, or empowering the poor with welfare benefits, we will continue to exert all our might for the region," the home minister said.
The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the government's decision to abrogate Article 370, which bestowed special status on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and said steps should be taken to conduct elections in the assembly by September 30 next year.
The apex court also directed that statehood to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir be restored at the earliest.