We stand by decision on Article 370, CAA: PM Narendra Modi

Amid raging protests against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act and remarks by some foreign envoys on the Kashmir lockdown, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that there would be no backtracking on the CAA and the scrapping of Article 370.

Addressing a public meeting at Chandauli, about 325 kilometres from here, Modi, who was on a day long visit to his Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi, said that abrogation of Article 370 and CAA were necessary for the country.

''Saalon se desh ko iska intezar tha (the country had been waiting for them (abrogation of Article 370 and CAA) for years)," the prime minister said.

''Duniabhar ke dabav ke bawazood hum is par adig hain (Despite international pressure, we remain firm on these decisions)," Modi remarked.

Recently envoys of some foreign countries, who had visited Jammu & Kashmir, said that the government should lift all the curbs imposed on the Union Territory.

Stating that both the decisions were in the interest of the nation, the prime minister said that by the blessings of Lord Shiva, the country today had been taking decisions, which were not take previously.

He said that his government was committed to ensuring that every section of the society was benefitted by the government schemes.

Modi earlier also attended a function at Jangambari Mutt and said that the country was not made by any authority or power but by values and culture.

He also launched developmental projects worth over Rs.1200 crore for Varanasi.

Modi also flagged off the country's first private train, Maha Kaushal Express, that would connect Varanasi, Ujjain and Onkareshwar- the three famous 'Jyotirlingas' (temples of Lord Shiva).

The prime minister also inaugurated a super-speciality government hospital in his LS constituency.