Asserts Constitution now fully implemented in J&K
26 December, 2025 – New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the BJP was proud its government got the opportunity to “tear down the wall of Article 370”, terming it a “decisive step” in strengthening India’s unity.
Addressing a public gathering after inaugurating the Rashtra Prerna Sthal in Lucknow on the 101st birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said “the Constitution is now fully implemented in Jammu and Kashmir”, something that had remained a challenge for decades after Independence.
Modi said it was Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee who had firmly opposed the concept of “two constitutions, two flags and two prime ministers” in the country. He asserted that the special constitutional arrangement in Jammu and Kashmir had undermined national integrity for years.
“The BJP is proud that our government got the opportunity to bring down the wall of Article 370. Today, the Constitution of India is fully implemented in Jammu and Kashmir,” the PM said.
The remarks came as Modi paid tribute to Dr Mookerjee, Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whose statues have been installed at the newly inaugurated Rashtra Prerna Sthal, envisioned as a national memorial and inspiration site. He said the complex symbolises the ideals of self-respect, unity and service that have guided India’s national journey.
Linking the Article 370 decision with a broader push for national integration and development, Modi said India was now moving forward with confidence, driven by the mantra of self-reliance. He recalled Dr Mookerjee’s role as independent India’s first Industry Minister, crediting him with laying the foundations of economic self-reliance and industrial policy.
The Prime Minister also highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s role in the country’s development trajectory, pointing to initiatives such as the ‘One District, One Product’ scheme and the upcoming defence corridor. He noted that BrahMos missiles are now being manufactured in Lucknow, adding that UP is emerging as a key hub for defence manufacturing.
Referring to Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya’s philosophy of Antyodaya, Modi said his government had expanded the idea through “saturation”, ensuring that welfare schemes reached every eligible beneficiary without discrimination.
He said crores of citizens had received pucca houses, toilets, tap water, electricity, gas connections, free ration and free medical treatment for the first time.
Marking Vajpayee’s birth anniversary as a “celebration of good governance”, Modi credited the former PM with laying the foundations of digital identity, telecom expansion and national connectivity through highways, rural roads and metro projects.
The PM also criticised what he described as the post-Independence tendency to glorify the contributions of a single political family, saying his government was instead honouring leaders and icons across regions and communities.
The Tribune