Jakarta: Senior Congress leader and former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Friday, stated that Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, had long contributed to a perception of the region being separate from the rest of India.

Speaking in Indonesia during an interaction with a delegation of think tanks and academics, Khurshid said this perception was finally addressed through the abrogation of the article by the Indian government.

“Kashmir had a major problem for a long time. Much of that was reflected in the thinking of the government in an article called 370 of the Constitution, which somehow gave an impression that it was separate from the rest of the country. But Article 370 was abrogated and it was finally put to an end,” he said.

Positive changes since abrogation

Khurshid described the sense of a “separate” identity as a long-standing issue. He noted that the abrogation had brought about positive results, including strong electoral participation and an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Subsequently, there was an election with 65 percent participation. There’s an elected government in Kashmir today and therefore for people who want to undo everything that has happened, the prosperity that has come to Kashmir,” he said.

He emphasised that reversing these developments would undermine the progress and stability that have emerged in the region since the move.

Part of international briefing tour

Khurshid is part of an all-party delegation led by JDU MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, which is visiting Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore. The purpose of the visit is to brief key international stakeholders on Operation Sindoor and India’s stance on regional security issues.

Resolution to restore Article 370 sparks political row

Meanwhile, back in India, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, under the leadership of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and with the Congress as an ally, introduced a resolution in September last year to restore Article 370.

The BJP strongly opposed the move, declaring that Article 370 would not be reinstated under any circumstances, asserting that even if Indira Gandhi were to return from heaven, the article would not be restored.