India on Wednesday strongly rejected Pakistan's observance of August 5 as "Youm-e-Istehsal" (Day of Exploitation), describing the move as a "political absurdity" and accusing Islamabad of spreading false and misleading propaganda against the country.
Pakistan marks the anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 by observing the day as "Youm-e-Istehsal". Responding to the development, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inseparable parts of India.
In a strongly worded statement, Jaiswal said no amount of propaganda or political posturing by Pakistan could alter this reality. He also urged Islamabad to focus on addressing its own political and economic challenges instead of interfering in India's internal affairs.
The Ministry of External Affairs maintained that the constitutional changes introduced on August 5, 2019, were entirely an internal matter and had resulted in unprecedented socio-economic development, improved governance and greater democratic empowerment in the region.
The response came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, describing the decision as a historic step that transformed the lives of people in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
In a post on X, Modi highlighted improvements in infrastructure, education, healthcare, entrepreneurship and sports, while stating that women and marginalised communities had gained access to rights guaranteed under the Constitution.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Navin also hailed the decision, calling it a landmark moment in India's journey towards national integration and development.
