Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories will promote inclusive development and reduce the negative impact of cross-border terrorism.
"The recent decision to reorganise Jammu and Kashmir was intended to extend all the laws and benefits of developmental programmes to this region and ensure inclusive and all-round development of the State," he said while addressing Indian diaspora here.
The Vice President expressed his concern that one of India's neighbours is fomenting trouble in the region by aiding, abetting and funding terrorist activities.
"Several thousand people were killed in terror-related incidents. Terrorism is the enemy of humanity. Terrorism has no religion. I urge the world community to unite in isolating nations, which sponsor terrorism and ensure that funding for such activities is stopped," he said.
Naidu also hit out at the negative propaganda being carried out on Jammu and Kashmir and urged the Indian diaspora to effectively counter the disinformation by presenting the correct picture.
"It is high time to take up a campaign to stop this disinformation campaign," he said.
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Asserting that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, Naidu said: "People of the state have been electing leaders in free and fair elections since 1952. However, many of the programmes were not reaching the citizens of the state because of the special provisions of Article 370. The government has taken a bold decision by following the democratic process of obtaining Parliamentary approval."
Naidu reminded the diaspora that India is one of the most inclusive and tolerant democratic countries in the world in which the interests of all groups including minorities are taken care of with empathy and deep appreciation.
The Vice President said that India is a country that had Presidents, Vice Presidents, Prime Minister, Supreme Court judges and Heads of Defence Forces drawn from most prominent minority groups.
"We celebrate pluralism, multilingualism and a multi-religious mosaic of thought, expression, and practice," he added.
Naidu also said that the Government of India had decided to establish a High Commission in Freetown to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations and to serve the needs of the Indian diaspora.
He said the government of India has also taken a policy decision to have a greater focus on African nations and promote closer ties with them.
Before emplaning to return to Delhi on the conclusion of his tour to Comoros and Sierra Leone on Monday, the Vice President also held discussions with Abass Chernor Bundi, the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
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