Art 370 never kept J&K from development: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Srinagar: Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who left the party and said later that he never promised restoration of Article 370, said on Wednesday that the article was no obstacle to development in Jammu and Kashmir. He claimed that the erstwhile state had performed better on 30 national indices, PTI reported.

"It (Article 370) was not an obstacle. (As the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir), I introduced a three-shift work system, Assembly sittings were held six days a week, roads were built, a network of schools and colleges was created, and environment clearances were given," Azad told reporters in Srinagar.

"I have countered the prime minister and the home minister in Parliament on this (Article 370) issue. I have highlighted 30 indices where Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 outperformed the national average and 40 indices where it fared better than Gujarat.

"I had said in Parliament that since Jammu and Kashmir was better on most indices, Gujarat should instead be made a Union territory and a Lieutenant Governor be sent there," he added.

The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir also claimed that he never ruled out the possibility of the restoration of Article 370 but said it could be a time-consuming process, adding only Prime Minister Narendra Modi could do so immediately.

He also claimed that he never ruled out the possibility of the article's restoration but reiterated that it would not be simple. It could be a time-consuming process, and only Prime Minister Narendra Modi could do it immediately, Azad said.

"I have not said Article 370 cannot be restored. Either it will be restored by Modi as he did with the (repeal of) farm laws as he has the majority, or there should be a two-thirds majority in Parliament. I cannot convince him or his cabinet on this," he said.