Mumbai: The Centre’s decision to revoke Article 370, which accorded special status to the state of Jammu & Kashmir, was welcomed by its residents, as they claim this was responsible for economic stagnation of the state.

Twenty-five-year-old student, Pulkit Chrungoo, a practising advocate in the Jammu & Kashmir High Court, said the abolishment of Article 370 had nothing special to offer the state but on the contrary, it was retribution for the people, having caused regular violence and genocide of the minorities.

“My state had nothing to boast about, the only reason my state made it to the news was for terrorism and unrest,” he states. For decades, local politicians had misinterpreted the real reason behind the enactment of the Articles 35a and 370 for the state, misguiding the people.

“Leaders Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah say the Article 370 and 35a were enacted to safeguard the Islamic nature of the state, whereas in reality, Maharaja Hari Singh had implemented 35a to safeguard the rights of the people of Jammu & Kashmir as a whole, from the British and Afghans,” informed Pulkit.

“This is just the first step towards a new beginning,” said filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, known for co-producing the 2019 political drama, 'The Accidental Prime Minister'. Pandit, who has family in the Valley, said that over the years, the Mufti and Abdullah families have treated the Valley as their personal property.

“The only reason the opposition is making so much noise is because the Valley is no more the personal property of opportunists,” stated Pandit.

With the state now being integrated with the Constitution of India, a 30-year-old social activist, Sameer Bhatt, believes that the state will flourish and prosper in the coming years, like any other state of the country, as this step will create opportunities for economic growth and infrastructure.

“Most of the state's youth are misguided because there are not enough employment prospects. This led to their getting easily brainwashed,” said Bhatt.