Staff Reporter / New Delhi
UNION Home Minister Amit Shah today outrightly rejected the reports of curfew in Kashmir, saying life is normal in the Valley after the scrapping of Article 370. He said, Section 144 is imposed only in eight police station areas in the state, and there is no curfew as being claimed.
Mr Shah said all landline phones are working, people are visiting hospitals for their treatment and are doing their routine work as usual. Mr Shah was delivering a lecture on national security at a function in New Delhi.
The Home Minister accused the Opposition of taking political advantage and doing vote bank politics over the continuance of Articles 370 and 35A that deprived the people of Kashmir. He said since its inception, BJP believed that such articles are against national unity and integrity.
Mr Shah pointed out that the drawbacks of the Articles had deprived Kashmir people from basic amenities and development as 106 laws related to education, food among others, were not applicable in Jammu and Kashmir.
He allayed apprehensions that Kashmiri culture will be adversely affected after the abrogation of Article 370, saying India is a diverse country with multiple cultures and languages, and States are moving forward by preserving them after the Independence.
The Home Minister also attacked advocates of human rights, saying they were silent on rights of martyrs of army and para-military forces as well as their families.