SRINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, highlighted that, for the first time in seventy years, a Chief Minister in Jammu and Kashmir has taken an oath on the Indian Constitution, a development he attributed to the government’s recent efforts in the region. Modi noted that these measures reflect a shift, with Naxalism reportedly nearing its end in India.
The Prime Minister, addressing a gathering near the Statue of Unity at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat’s Narmada district, commemorated Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary, celebrated as ‘Rashtriya Ekta Diwas’ or National Unity Day since 2014. He paid homage to India’s first Home Minister and highlighted Patel’s role in India’s unification.
Modi also warned against what he termed a destabilising “nexus of urban Naxals” that he alleged aims to divide the country on caste lines and spread anarchy. As Naxalism declines in rural areas, he claimed, a new “urban model” is emerging to challenge those promoting unity. He urged citizens to identify and “unmask” these urban Naxals.
The Prime Minister emphasised ongoing initiatives, such as “one nation, one secular civil code” and “one nation, one election,” which he said would reinforce unity and democratic integrity.
