PM Modi on 'historic' Article 370 verdict: 'A resounding declaration of hope'

Reactions from political leaders are mixed as the Supreme Court on Monday upheld Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir as constitutionally valid.

Former Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference party leader Omar Abdullah tweeted, “Disappointed but not disheartened. The struggle will continue. It took the BJP decades to reach here. We are also prepared for the long haul.” 

Senior Congress leader and Maharaja Hari Singh's son Karan Singh told ANI, "I welcome it. Now it has become clear that whatever happened is constitutionally valid. I request PM Modi to restore statehood soon.” He added, “A section of people in J&K who will not be happy with this judgment, my sincere advice is that they should accept the inevitable and they should accept the fact that now this has been done and the Supreme Court has upheld the action and therefore there's no point now unnecessarily hitting their head against the wall. Now my suggestion is that they should turn their energies towards fighting the next elections. That is where the people should now be motivated instead of developing any negativity, ANI reported quoting Singh. 

Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) President and former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "We are disappointed by the Supreme Court verdict." 

BJP National President J.P. Nadda, welcoming the decision tweeted, “Bharatiya Janata Party welcomes the decision given by the Honourable Supreme Court regarding Article 370. The Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court has upheld the decision given to remove Section 370 and 35A, its process and objective. The government of Honourable Prime Minister @narendramodi ji has done the historic work of including Jammu and Kashmir in the main ideology of the country, for this I and crores of our workers express our heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister.”