AHMEDABAD, March 2 : Addressing the “Kashmir Festival” organized by the Gujarat University here, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh hailed the “aspirational” StartUps of the new genre and said, festivals like this provide an opportunity to the youth from different regions of the country to come together and exchange their experiences as well as best practices in the emerging avenues. He said, the “Kashmir Festival” will hopefully provide a very valuable exposure for the youth from Jammu & Kashmir because Gujarat is a State traditionally known to be ahead of other States in terms of entrepreneurship and futuristic vision for innovative initiatives.The very fact that the event is being held in Gujarat University, said the Minister, assumes significance since this is the University whose alumni include eminent scientists and innovators like Vikram Sarabhai and Dr K Kasturi Nandan who laid the foundation for post-independence India to emerge as a front- line nation of the world through scientific and technological excellence.Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Dr Jitendra Singh said, Jammu & Kashmir had to wait for seven long decades before a distinguished son of the soil from Gujarat in the form of Prime Minister Narendra Modi came and liberated the people of J&K from the shackles of Article 370 and gave them the sense of esteem of being the citizens of India. Similarly, he said, another son of the soil from Gujarat, Home Minister Amit Shah ensured the extension of the Central Laws to the UT of J&K so that the people of J&K could enjoy the same rights and privileges as people in other parts of the country.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Dr Jitendra Singh, will go down in the history as the leader who showed courage of conviction to correct a constitutional anomaly and an abrasion of democracy by abrogating Article 370 and 35 A and thus ensuring the mainstreaming of Jammu & Kashmir with the rest of India. The event of Kashmir Festival in the Gujarat University and the enthusiasm of the participants is an indication of this and the people of J&K, particularly the youth who do not wish to miss the opportunities in new India, will always remain indebted to Prime Minister Modi, he added.Dr Jitendra Singh said, after more than three and half years of that path-breaking decision, it is evident that Jammu and Kashmir today is better placed than it was before August 5, 2019. He said, more than 800 central laws have become applicable to Jammu and Kashmir after it got the Union Territory status.The Minister referred to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Indian Institute of Sustainability (IIS), Gujarat University and University of Kashmir for establishment of IIS at University of Kashmir. He said, the mutual collaboration for joint studies, research, study program, the training program, entrepreneurship, Policy Design and Analysis, policy advocacy, implementation of SDGs etc will get a new high after the MoU.
