Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had on Thursday said during his visit to the Valley that Kashmir was always a part of India and will continue to remain so. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had earlier camped in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370 to understand the ground situation and was seen interacting with locals. Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday stressed that the NDA government’s move to abrogate Article 370 is for the betterment of people of the Valley

Srinagar: A day after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the state of Jammu and Kashmir, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat is visiting Srinagar on Friday, his first since the abrogation of Article 370.

General Rawat is in the Valley to review security measures and preparedness of the armed forces in the state.

Rajnath Singh had yesterday given out a strong message to Pakistan during his visit to Leh, where he said that Kashmir was always a part of India and will continue to remain so, adding that Pakistan does not have a locus standi on the matter.

India has been very stern with its stand on Jammu and Kashmir and the very fact that the international community has cornered Pakistan from all quarters is a clear message that Kashmir is strictly an internal matter.

“I want to ask Pakistan – when did Kashmir belong to it? Kashmir has always been a part of India. Kashmir has always been with us and will remain so,” the Defence Minister said yesterday.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday stressed that the NDA government’s move to abrogate Article 370 is for the betterment of people of the Valley.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had earlier camped in J&K after the move to understand the ground situation and was seen interacting with locals. The Ministry of External Affairs had also earlier stated that normalcy is gradually returning to the state.

India on August 9 introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, as per which, after October 31, the state of Jammu and Kashmir would get divided into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir (with a Legislative Assembly), and Ladakh (without a Legislative Assembly).