Right-wing outfit hails abrogation of Article 370

Right-wing organisation Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) on Monday said the Centre's move to abolish Article 370, that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was the "beginning of establishing a Hindu Rashtra". The Centre on Monday abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution and proposed that the border state be bifurcated into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The Rajya Sabha later approved a resolution abrogating the contentious Article and a bill to bifurcate the state into two union territories. HJS national spokesman Ramesh Shinde, in a statement here, said the revocation of Article 370 marks the "beginning of establishing a Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nation)." "The BJP government at the Centre has taken a historic decision by removing Articles 370 and 35A (both related to special status enjoyed by J&K and its residents).

"A sin committed by the Congress 70 years ago has thus been washed by the Modi government, he said and congratulated the BJP-led ruling coalition at the Centre over the move. Shinde demanded proper rehabilitation of the displaced Kashmir Pandits..