Doing away with Article 370 Has Hurt India’s Secular Foundation

Thank you, Siddharth.

Salman, my first question, were you shocked when the announcement was made?

Actually, this is a very interesting, interesting story.

I was in Delhi on August the 4th, and, uh, I think, uh, I was flying to, uh, Kashmir, and I got a call from, I think NDTV, and they were talking about how, uh, uh, this is imminent now So we are, you know, uh, we want a bite.

And I said, "I'm headed to Kashmir.

My flight is, uh, taking off." So I took off and went there.

And, uh, on August 5th, um, uh, we were told by, uh, our guards, um, uh, who, uh, you know, we...

My father is a protected person, uh, because he was a former union minister.

Uh, we were told that, uh, he's not to go out, and then they said that even I was not to go out.

Uh, so, uh, uh, then we found out on TV what was going on because, uh, our, our guards had become our jailers.

Uh, so that's how it, uh, all happened.

Uh, so I was not sh- totally shocked because I'd already been tipped off by, uh, uh, some media house or the other, most likely NDTV.

Uh, and, uh, and then it happened.

Of course, uh, uh, uh, it was somewhat unbelievable because, uh, we didn't really understand how this could be done, uh, legally.

Uh, but then, uh, you know, the government, uh, came up, uh, with a way which I still believe is not correct.

Even though the Supreme Court, uh, then, uh, gave it its sav- stamp of approval, I think a lot, uh, can be said about, uh, that order.

Uh, but here we are, uh, uh, in 2026, uh, still in some ways, uh, uh, J&K reels from, uh, from that step.

No, but, you know, uh, the BJP in its manifesto had said they would do away with Article 370.

So it shouldn't have come as a shock.

Well, they'd been saying that for a long time.

Uh, BJP had, had been anti, uh, Article 370 for a long time.

It's an, it's an ideological thing for them.

Uh, but the question really is, uh, and the question we should be asking ourselves is, what is the impact of what happened, uh, on August 5, 2019? And, uh, uh, of course, what were the arguments that were put forward, uh, by the BJP, uh, and how do they hold up? And more importantly, uh, what does it mean for India? Uh, did h- did, did what happened in J&K, uh, did it have an impact or will it have an impact on India, our f- our Constitution, our federal structure, uh, our future? Uh, so...

Or are we already seeing some of the consequences of that fateful decision?

Yeah, I'll come to that, the consequences.

Thank you, Siddharth.

Salman, my first question, were you shocked when the announcement was made?

Actually, this is a very interesting, interesting story.

I was in Delhi on August the 4th, and, uh, I think, uh, I was flying to, uh, Kashmir, and I got a call from, I think NDTV, and they were talking about how, uh, uh, this is imminent now So we are, you know, uh, we want a bite.

And I said, "I'm headed to Kashmir.

My flight is, uh, taking off." So I took off and went there.

And, uh, on August 5th, um, uh, we were told by, uh, our guards, um, uh, who, uh, you know, we...

My father is a protected person, uh, because he was a former union minister.

Uh, we were told that, uh, he's not to go out, and then they said that even I was not to go out.

Uh, so, uh, uh, then we found out on TV what was going on because, uh, our, our guards had become our jailers.

Uh, so that's how it, uh, all happened.

Uh, so I was not sh- totally shocked because I'd already been tipped off by, uh, uh, some media house or the other, most likely NDTV.

Uh, and, uh, and then it happened.

Of course, uh, uh, uh, it was somewhat unbelievable because, uh, we didn't really understand how this could be done, uh, legally.

Uh, but then, uh, you know, the government, uh, came up, uh, with a way which I still believe is not correct.

Even though the Supreme Court, uh, then, uh, gave it its sav- stamp of approval, I think a lot, uh, can be said about, uh, that order.

Uh, but here we are, uh, uh, in 2026, uh, still in some ways, uh, uh, J&K reels from, uh, from that step.

No, but, you know, uh, the BJP in its manifesto had said they would do away with Article 370.

So it shouldn't have come as a shock.

Well, they'd been saying that for a long time.

Uh, BJP had, had been anti, uh, Article 370 for a long time.

It's an, it's an ideological thing for them.

Uh, but the question really is, uh, and the question we should be asking ourselves is, what is the impact of what happened, uh, on August 5, 2019? And, uh, uh, of course, what were the arguments that were put forward, uh, by the BJP, uh, and how do they hold up? And more importantly, uh, what does it mean for India? Uh, did h- did, did what happened in J&K, uh, did it have an impact or will it have an impact on India, our f- our Constitution, our federal structure, uh, our future? Uh, so...

Or are we already seeing some of the consequences of that fateful decision?

Yeah, I'll come to that, the consequences.