BJP national secretary Ram Madhav.

HYDERABAD: BJP national secretary Ram Madhav on Thursday said Kashmir was “peaceful” two months after the defanging of Article 370 due to the preventive detention of over 200 people.

The detained were being given “five-star treatment” in hotels and would soon be released, Madhav said during a meeting with retired IAS officers and army officials. He said preventive detention was the most common measure taken to maintain peace in troubled areas. “It is not a human rights violation. The detained are given all facilities,” he claimed and made it clear that under no circumstance would the decision on Article 370 be revoked.

“People like Asaduddin Owaisi may say anything, but we took the decision in the interest Kashmiris who were denied development because of this article,” he claimed. Ram Madhav added that all democratic processes would be restored with reservations for STs and setting up of commissions for minorities and women. The BJP leader said all countries barring a few had thrown their weight behind India’s decision.

“Countries such as Saudi Arabia and UAE are with us. The army and authorities in Kashmir will make sure that the last terrorist sponsored by Pakistan will be neutralised,” he said.

He came down heavily on critics who said that the people of Kashmir were not consulted before the decision was made. “We have said several times that if we come to power, we will do it. This article was not supported by anyone in the then Congress when it was moved to be incorporated in the constitution,” he said.

