PM Modi may meet J&K political leaders on June 24

Discussions can be held on organizing the assembly elections in J&K.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to hold a meeting on June 24 in the presence of all the political parties of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, sources have told multiple news outlets. The move is seen as a part of the efforts made by the Modi government to restart the political process which has remained stalled since the President’s rule was imposed in the erstwhile state in 2018. Discussions can also be held on organizing the assembly elections in J&K.

The meeting, scheduled for Thursday next week, is also expected to be attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and some other key central ministers. According to some government officials, the list of politicians being invited for the meet includes Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference(NC), Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP, Sajjad Lone of People’s Conference(PC) and Altaf Bukhari of Apni Party (JKAP).

News agency PTI reported that J&K’s ex-CM Mehbooba Mufti confirmed receiving a call from the centre for the meeting next week. However, she declined to confirm if she will attend the meeting and said that she would discuss the issue with her party’s members.

CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami, recently appointed as the spokesperson of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), told PTI that he had no information about such a meeting. He added that the alliance had never declined to engage with the centre and that he would welcome such a meeting.

The President of JKAP, Altaf Bukhari, also welcomed the engagement with the central government.

It may be recalled that the Modi government had on 5 August 2019 decided to abrogate the special status enjoyed by J&K under Article 370 and Article 35(A). It was further decided to bifurcate the J&K state to form two union territories- J&K and Ladakh. Among the sweeping developments that followed, mainstream political leaders like Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Sajjad Lone among others were put under detention. Since then, the Indian government has taken measures to move towards political normalcy such as setting up a delimitation commission, releasing political leaders and organizing District Development Council(DDC) elections.

 

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