New Delhi: At the end of a three-hour long meeting with political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir called by him today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed it an “important step in the ongoing efforts towards a developed and progressive J&K, where all-round growth is furthered”. Top 14 Kashmiri leaders leaders including Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sajjad Lone among others attended the meeting.
It was after initial flip flop that the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) — a conglomerate of Kashmir-based parties comprising National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a few other smaller parties — had accepted Modi’s invitation to attend the all-party meeting today. This was the first such meeting after August 5, 2019, when the Centre had announced abrogation of J&K’s special status and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories.
Modi said the priority is to strengthen grassroots democracy in J&K. “Delimitation has to happen at a quick pace so that polls can happen and J&K gets an elected Government that gives strength to J&K’s development trajectory,” Modi said in a series of tweets after the meeting.
This was the first meeting with Kashmiri leaders after the Centre withdrew special status from the erstwhile state. Alongwith Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also present during the deliberations with the Kashmiri leaders in the national capital.
The Centre is reportedly mulling over holding elections to the new union territory though the Kashmiri leaders are still adamant over their demand of restoration of Article 370. In today’s meeting, Modi reportedly told the Kashmiri leaders that the issue of abrogation of Article 370 was in the Supreme Court. However, there didn’t seem to be any possibility of rolling back the decision to abrogate Article 370.
Later in his tweet, Modi said: “Our democracy’s biggest strength is the ability to sit across a table and exchange views. I told the leaders of J&K that it is the people, specially the youth who have to provide political leadership to J&K, and ensure their aspirations are duly fulfilled.”
Kashmiri leaders Muzaffar Baig, Sajjad Gani Lone of Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference termed the meeting as “very cordial” and expressed hope that “we came out quite positive there will be some delivery”. Congress Party’s Ghulam Nabi Azad put forward five demands- statehood restoration, quick elections, guarantee of land, rehabilitaion of Kashmir pandit and release of political prisoners.
– global bihari bureau
