Yogi Adityanath accused Jawaharlal Nehru of creating the Kashmir issue that led to extremism and separatism.
He made the remarks while addressing an event marking Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 75th death anniversary.
Adityanath credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with abolishing Article 370 and fully integrating Kashmir into India.
Yogi Adityanath Blames Nehru for Extremism, Separatism In Kashmir
Uttar Pradesh chief minister says Jammu and Kashmir issue was made “controversial” after Independence, credits Modi for abrogation of Article 370
Summary
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday held India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, responsible for what he described as the roots of extremism and separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that Nehru’s handling of the issue made it “controversial” in a way that continues to affect the country decades after Independence, according to PTI.
Adityanath was speaking at an event marking the 75th death anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India’s first home minister, where he reflected on the post-Independence integration of princely states into the Indian Union, PTI reported.
Referring to the merger of more than 560 princely states, the chief minister cited Junagadh and Hyderabad as major challenges in the process. “All the Hindu princely states of India agreed to become a part of the Republic of India, but the Nawab of Junagadh and the Nizam of Hyderabad refused. Both had to be integrated into India. Through a bloodless revolution, solely due to Sardar Patel's wisdom, these two princely states became a part of India,” Adityanath said.
He then turned to Jammu and Kashmir, saying there was uncertainty over the fate of the princely state at the time of Independence. “So, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru took the matter into his own hands. He made Jammu and Kashmir so controversial that it continued to sting India even after Independence. The country got extremism ('ugravaad') and separatism ('algaavaad') from Kashmir because of Pandit Nehru,” he claimed, according to PTI.
Adityanath further said that the country was grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for fulfilling what he described as the vision of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Syama Prasad Mookerjee by abrogating Article 370. He added that the move had made Kashmir an integral part of India while advancing the idea of one country, one constitution and one flag, PTI reported.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, born in Nadiad in Gujarat in 1875, played a central role in India’s freedom movement and later in consolidating the nation after Independence. As the first home minister, he was instrumental in integrating over 560 princely states into the Indian Union. Patel died in 1950.
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(With inputs from PTI)
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