BackArticle 370 not removed earlier because of vote bank politics: Jitendra Singh
Article 370 had led to isolation of citizens and particularly the youth of Jammu and Kashmir, says Jitendra Singh, minister of state, PMOHe also says 30 lakh people in the state depended on government salaries will get benefitted because of the abrogation of Article 370
PremiumNEW DELHI : Jitendra Singh, minister of state, prime minister's office, on Monday came down heavily on opposition parties and said that "vote bank politics" has been the key reason behind some political parties to not remove Article 370, which provided for special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
In an interview with Doordarshan News which was telecasted on Monday evening, Singh also spoke in detail about how nearly 30 lakh people depended on government salaries will get benefitted because of the abrogation of Article 370.
"Article 370 had led to isolation of citizens and particularly the youth of Jammu and Kashmir...because of vote bank politics some political parties engaged in abusing Article 370 so that their own political dominance continued," Singh said in the interview.
Last week, Parliament gave its nod for a resolution scrapping special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and also passed The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Bill that split the formerly state into two Union Territories––Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh.
In the interview, Singh also spoke in detail about how a large number of government officials and pensioners will get benefitted with facilities like Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), House Rent Allowance (HRA) and Leave Travel Concession (LTC) among others.
"30 lakh out of 125 lakh people are such who are depended on government salaries and services. What benefit will they get? They will get unprecedented benefit which will be known when it starts rolling out," he said in the interview.
"You can estimate that Seventh Pay Commission up to some level is applicable in all states, people will get benefit here too. CGHS cards will be applicable...when you get the card the whole family will have access to health services and reimbursements. Both LTC and HRA will be applicable," he said, adding that when 30 lakh people get benefitted from this, it will have an impact in the rest of the region.
He also said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's global outreach, Pakistan's words and actions are no longer taken seriously. He attacked the Congress for opposing the move. "The more Congress says such things, the more it will find itself isolated," he added.
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