The Union minister noted that for 150 years, the understanding of history of some people was confined to narrow geographies-from Dariba to Ballimaran or Lutyens to Gymkhana while stressing that history cannot be written from a distance but requires engaging directly with the people and understanding their lived experiences.
Shah was speaking at the launch event of a book titled ‘Jammu Kashmir & Ladakh Through the Ages: A Visual Narrative of Continuities and Linkages’. Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan was also present on the occasion.
The home minister firmly stated that Kashmir always has been and will continue to remain an inseparable part of India. He stressed that no legal provision could ever sever this bond, and while there were attempts to separate Kashmir from India in the past, time itself has nullified those efforts. He said that the Modi government is committed to revive the historic and cultural heritage of Kashmir, and we will soon reclaim what has been lost.
Shah further highlighted that after the abrogation of Article 370, there has been a reduction of over 70% in terrorist incidents in Kashmir, which proves that Article 370 was a facilitator of terrorism. He mentioned that in 2018, there were 2,100 incidents of stone-pelting in Kashmir, whereas in 2023, not a single such incident occurred.
