Scrapped 370 for citizens' welfare: VP

NEW DELHI: The abrogation of Article 370 provisions is an "internal administrative decision" concerning the welfare of Indian citizens and carried out in strict compliance with constitutional provisions and with overwhelming majority in both Houses of Parliament, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu told Canadian senate speaker George J Furey here on Thursday.
Welcoming Furey to India, Naidu shared his happiness at the excellent bilateral parliamentary ties between the two countries, the vice president's secretariat said in an official statement.
When the leader of the visiting delegation sought to know his views on developments in Jammu and Kashmir, Naidu said Article 370 was inserted as a temporary provision and being a border region it shares international boundary with Pakistan and China, separatism was sponsored in the region, fanned and taken advantage of by outsiders.
Underlining that Article 370 was inserted as a temporary provision in the constitution, Naidu noted "deletion of Article 370 is an internal administrative decision concerning the welfare of Indian citizens and carried out in strict compliance with Constitutional provisions and with overwhelming majority in both the Houses of Parliament."
Furey also met Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla in a separate meeting on Thursday at Parliament House.
Birla said that Indo-Canadian relations have been cordial and are based on democratic values, rule of law and governments in both countries are acceptable to the people.