Stories
From Lal Chowk to a New Jammu and Kashmir: The Inside Story of Modi's 25-Year Political Journey
N
News18•07-10-2026, 15:05
From Lal Chowk to a New Jammu and Kashmir: The Inside Story of Modi's 25-Year Political Journey
- •Narendra Modi's connection with Jammu and Kashmir dates back long before his tenure as prime minister or Gujarat chief minister, beginning when he travelled the region as a BJP organisational worker in the early 1990s.
- •Modi was associated with the historic 1991-92 Ekta Yatra that culminated in the hoisting of the Tricolour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar amidst severe security challenges and militancy.
- •During his 2013 Lalkar Rally in Jammu as a prime ministerial candidate, Modi emphasized regional development, rights, education, employment, and the contentious issue of Article 370.
- •On August 5, 2019, Modi's government fulfilled a long-standing BJP objective by revoking Article 370 and reorganizing the erstwhile state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
- •Post-2019 policy in J&K has shifted the focus from conflict to development, infrastructure, tourism, entrepreneurship, and broader national integration.
Key Questions Answered
In the winter of 1991-92, Narendra Modi was associated with the organisation of the BJP's Ekta Yatra, which travelled from Kanyakumari towards Srinagar and culminated in hoisting the Tricolour at Lal Chowk on Republic Day.
Narendra Modi delivered his speech at the Lalkar Rally in Jammu on December 1, 2013, while serving as the Gujarat chief minister and the BJP's prime ministerial candidate.
On August 5, 2019, Prime Minister Modi's government took the historic decision to alter the constitutional framework surrounding Article 370 and reorganise the former state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
