*Terrorism under control in J&K: Amit Shah*

New Delhi, Jan 02 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said that government has not only gained control over terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir but has also succeeded in stopping it.

Speaking after releasing the book, ‘Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh: Through the Ages” Shah, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said, “We have not only gained control over terrorism, but we have also succeeded in stopping it. The Narendra Modi led government has also worked to eliminate the ecosystem of terrorism from the Valley.”

“In 2024, there have been no incidents of stone-pelting in Jammu and Kashmir. Democracy has deepened at the grassroots level. J&K recently recorded the highest voter turnout in the assembly and parliamentary elections in the past 33 years,” he said.

In a veiled reference to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), Shah said, “ Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has not only eliminated the ecosystem of terrorism from Kashmir but is determined to reclaim what has been lost.”

He said that Jammu and Kashmir has made a significant contribution to the civilisations of the country and the world. “The scholars of Kashmir have enriched our country’s languages, grammar, and various forms of knowledge,” he added.

Referring to Article 370, Shah said, “The Article was an attempt to separate Kashmir from the nation. It was pulled down. In the Constituent Assembly, the majority did not want Article 370 to be a part of the Constitution. However, it became a part. But there were some people who, when it became a part, felt that it was necessary to write it as a temporary provision.”

“It was with the strong determination of PM Modi that on August 5, 2019, Article 370 was abrogated. It ended a tainted chapter of our post-Independence history. And from there, a new chapter of Kashmir’s development alongside the rest of India began,” he said—