NEW DELHI—India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday described the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution as a "historic day," marking the seventh anniversary of the decision that revoked the special status of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, while opposition parties in the region renewed criticism of the move and called for the restoration of statehood.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the constitutional change had ushered in a new phase of development, peace and opportunity for Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh. In a public message marking the anniversary, Modi said life in the region had changed since the August 5, 2019 decision and reaffirmed his government's commitment to its development.
The BJP also used the anniversary to highlight what it said were improvements in infrastructure, investment, governance and public welfare since the revocation of Article 370 and Article 35A. Party leaders reiterated that the move had strengthened national integration and extended constitutional rights and central laws uniformly across the region.
In Jammu and Kashmir, however, political parties including the ruling National Conference, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Congress observed the anniversary as a "black day." Party workers attempted symbolic protests, arguing that the 2019 decision was taken without the consent of the people of the region and had undermined democratic rights. Authorities imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar, including around Lal Chowk, and security personnel were deployed outside major party offices, limiting public demonstrations.
Separately, the Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir released a report calling for the restoration of full statehood and the repeal of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The group said democratic governance and institutional autonomy should be restored in the region.
Article 370 granted special constitutional status to Jammu and Kashmir until Parliament approved its abrogation on Aug. 5, 2019. The government simultaneously reorganized the former state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. In December 2023, India's Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the decision while directing that the process of restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir should be completed at the earliest.
The anniversary once again underscored the sharply contrasting political narratives surrounding one of the Modi government's most consequential constitutional decisions, with the BJP celebrating the move as a milestone in national integration and several regional parties continuing to seek the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's former status and full statehood.
