New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday claimed that the hurdles in the development of Kashmir had been erased with the abrogation of Article 370 that gave the erstwhile state a special status adding it will become the most developed state in the next 10 years.
The statement was recorded after the Union Minister flagged off the second semi-high speed indigenous Vande Bharat train from the national capital to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir.
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The Minister said Article 370, which was scrapped on August 5, was not only a hurdle in country's unity and integrity but also the biggest obstacle in the development of Jammu and Kashmir, which has now been bifurcated into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir with an Assembly and Ladakh without one.
"I have a firm belief that we will gain success in complete eradication of terrorism and terrorist ideology from Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370. Our Kashmir would be mentioned in the list of most developed Indian states within 10 years," Shah said.
The Minister said the Vande Bharat train, which has been manufactured at Integral Coach Factory (ICF) at Chennai, was a gift to the countrymen from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"A new history is being created through Vande Bharat, which will be a great medium of tourism to Jammu and Kashmir," he added.
Vande Bharat Express will run between Delhi and Katra facilitating travel up to the Hindu shrine of Vaishno Devi. The booking for the train will start on October 5.
