Senior Indian lawyer Harish Salve said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government's decision to abrogate the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir through Article 370 was a means of correcting a "mistake".
"I have been long-time votary of getting rid of 370. It was a mistake to allow it. Bigger mistake to allow it to fester," said Salve.
He also described Pakistan's reaction to the matter a sign of "complete bankruptcy of mind".
"Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is Indian, they (Pakistan) are squatting there. If there is any disputed territory (in the region), it is PoK. The Kashmir Constitution says Kashmir is an integral part of India, not just the Indian Constitution. Kashmir being an integral part of India has never been in doubt, except in certain Pakistani minds," said Salve.
He further said that the Supreme Court will hear the matter and decide if there was anything wrong.
Salve was speaking to the reporters at the Indian High Commission in London after the landmark judgment by the Royal Courts of Justice. The ruling was in favour of the Indian government in relation to funds associated with the Nizam of Hyderabad dating back to Partition in 1947.
"It was a wrongful claim by Pakistan which had to be fought. We fought that claim and won it," Salve said, in reference to the 35 million pounds held in a London bank account which will now be shared between the Nizam of Hyderabad's heirs and the Indian government," he said.
"Historians will be interested in seeing Pakistan's open acceptance that they were supplying arms. It is an interesting dimension which has publicly been acknowledged," Salve said.
