'Article 370 Was Obstacle to Development': US Congressman Lauds PM Modi for 'Bold' Steps In Kashmir

‘The steps that Prime Minister Modi and the Parliament have taken are needed, they’re good for the long-term stability of the region, and they should be applauded, Congressman George Holding said on the House floor Thursday.
An influential American Congressman on Thursday applauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the “bold steps” on Jammu and Kashmir by abrogating an “outdated and temporary” provision of the Constitution.

On Thursday, through a government notification, two Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh came into existence, in line with the announcement on August 5 on the withdrawal of the special status of the state under Article 370 and bifurcate it into two UTs.
“The steps that Prime Minister Modi and the Parliament have taken are needed, they’re good for the long-term stability of the region, and they should be applauded, Congressman George Holding said on the House floor Thursday.

The Republican lawmaker said the Indian Parliament passed the legislation changing the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir and modified provisions that were an “obstacle to economic development and promoted a sense of separatism.”

“Up until recently, Kashmir had been governed by Article 370, which was an outdated provision of law that the Indian constitution recognized as temporary. Article 370 might have worked well for those with political connections, but it denied economic opportunities for the people.