New Delhi: “Kashmir was a paradise, is a paradise and will remain a paradise,” Union home minister Amit Shah,  told parliament hours after announcing the contentious decision.

Asserting that Jammu and Kashmir “was, is and will always remain the crown of the country,” Mr Shah claimed that the move has “corrected a long overdue historic wrong,” with the BJP maintaing that the government's move has in the “true sense led to the integration of the state” with the country.

On queries on the UT status to Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Shah clarified that whenever the “situation becomes normal” and the “time is right,” the UT status will be reverted back to full statehood. Also, the Prime Minister is likely to address the nation on August 7 in this regard.  

With the BJP led NDA government fulfilling one of the Sangh Parivar's core issues, RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat and his second-in-command Bhaiyya Joshi congratulated the government for “this bold initiative which was very much necessary in national interest including the state of Jammu and Kashmir.”

Taking on opposition members, who opposed the government's move, Mr Shah said while most of them opposed the move on technical grounds, including that it could be challenged in the court, none specified how the Article benefited the state or its people. In a message to the youth of the state, particularly the Valley, Mr Shah said only a few politicians and separatists benefited from Article 370 and only hindered development, tourism, education, employment opportunities and  health and did not let democracy percolate. Mr Shah said the only thing that flourished because of Article 370 was terrorism.