What is Article 370?

Article 370 of the Indian Constitution was a temporary provision that granted special autonomous status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It granted the state’s government the power to have its own constitution, a separate flag, and autonomy over the internal administration of the state. The article also limited the Indian Parliament’s ability to make laws on certain matters concerning the state, such as citizenship, ownership of property, and fundamental rights.

The article was included in the Indian Constitution as part of a compromise made at the time of the state’s accession to India in 1947. The then-ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Hari Singh, agreed to accede to India on the condition that the state would retain its autonomy.

However, over the years, the Indian government has gradually eroded the state’s autonomy by making laws that extended the jurisdiction of the Indian Parliament and the Indian judiciary to the state. The Indian government also appointed governors to the state who had more power than the elected chief minister.

In August 2019, the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, revoked Article 370. The government also proposed the bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The move was met with widespread protests and backlash, both within India and internationally. Critics have argued that the revocation of Article 370 undermines the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and will lead to increased human rights violations and a loss of their autonomy. Supporters of the move, however, argue that it will lead to greater integration of the state with the rest of India and bring development and prosperity to the region.

The revocation of Article 370 has also strained India’s relations with Pakistan, which has also claimed Jammu and Kashmir as its own territory. Pakistan has strongly condemned the Indian government’s move, and the two countries have engaged in a heated diplomatic row over the issue.

Overall, the revocation of Article 370 has been a highly controversial move, with strong arguments on both sides. The Indian government has defended the move as a step towards greater integration and development for the state of Jammu and Kashmir, while critics have argued that it undermines the rights of the people and will lead to increased human rights violations. The issue remains highly debated and is still ongoing in the Indian political and social arena.