Centre's J&K Move Fruitful When Kashmiri Pandits Return: RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat today heaped praise on the centre's decision to scrap Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 but said the effort will come to fruition when Kashmiri Pandits return to the state and are rehabilitated.

"This effort will come to fruition only when justice denied under the influence of Article 370 is restored, injustices occurred are brought to an end. It will happen when our Kashmiri Pandits who were unjustly driven away are brought back and rehabilitated and allowed to remain secure, fearless, patriotic and Hindu," the RSS chief said at the annual Dussehra event in Nagpur.

In the nineties, Kashmiri Pandits were displaced from the region. Many welcomed the scrapping of the special status and hoped for return to their homeland.

On August 5, the centre scrapped the special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and divided the state into two Union Territories.

BJP's mentor RSS, which had made no secret of its desire to see Article 370 go, had praised the decision after it was announced, calling it "brave" and "necessary for the interest of the country".

Mr Bhagwat also said "false fears" of threat to jobs and property that were instilled in the minds of Kashmiris will also be removed.

Rights of the residents of the valley also need to be restored which were earlier denied to them, he added.

"Many a right of residents of Kashmir which were denied to them so far will be restored, and false fears instilled in the minds of brothers of the Valley that there is a threat to their property and jobs due to the nullification of Article 370, will be removed and having done away with those fears, they will be able to perform their duties towards the country's development with brotherly affinity and concord with the people of rest of Bharat," he said.

Calling the scrapping of the special status "much awaited", Mr Bhagwat said it was in line with "people's sentiments and the interests of the country." He also added that the move has proved that the BJP government has the courage to "fulfill expectations and respect people's sentiments of the country."

In an hour-long speech that included comments on the state of the economy, the safety of women, the Indian military, Mohan Bhagwat also described lynching as a "Western construct" and said the word was being used to defame the country. He also claimed "... it is not that only a certain community targets people. The reverse also happens".

(with inputs from ANI)