News Analysis India

Tag: J&K all-party meet

  • PM sets tone to bridge J&K gulf

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he was working towards removing “Dilli ki duri and Dil ki duri” (distance between between J&K and Delhi and distance between hearts), in a meeting he chaired with 14 leaders of eight parties from the state.

    “Our 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,” the Prime Minister tweeted after the talks at his residence, which lasted over three hours. The meeting came nearly two years after Article 370 was hollowed out and J&K was broken up into two Union Territories. 

    Restoration of statehood, holding the delimitation process, conducting Assembly elections to restore democracy, release of political detainees, rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits in J&K, ceasefire agreement with Pakistan, Article 370 and  protection of land rights were among the key issues that came up for discussion. 

    While Modi heard all political leaders individually and expressed the Central government’s willingness to fulfil most demands raised by them, he was silent when Article 370 was raised by National Conference leaders Farooq and Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and CPM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, sources said.

    The eight parties that were represented included the National Conference, the PDP, the BJP and the Congress. Union home minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Lt Governor Manoj Sinha participated. 

    Restoration of statehood was raised by all 14 leaders. Shah said the government is committed to restoring it, but that would happen after the delimitation process and holding of elections is over. Modi sought cooperation from all parties irrespective of political differences to expedite the process. 

    After the talks, Farooq Abdullah emphasised on the importance of building trust in J&K, saying that restoration of full statehood will be the first trust-building exercise from New Delhi’s side. His son Omar Abdullah said the prime minister was told about their opposition to what was done on August 5, 2019, when the decision to revoke J&K’s special status and bifurcate the state into two Union Territories was announced in Parliament. He added that it was the duty of the Centre to restore the broken trust of the people and said delimitation is not necessary. 

    370 abrogated immorally, says MuftiPDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said she told the PM that the people of J&K do not accept the manner in which Article 370 was abrogated “unconstitutionally, illegally and immorally”

  • If the PM listens, we will tell him what our people lost after August 5, 2019: J&K Congress chief

    Express News Service
    SRINAGAR: Ahead of the all-party meet, the Centre’s first political outreach to J&K after the revocation of Article 370 that begins in a few hours, the J&K Congress chief has said that they will inform the Prime Minister, who will be chairing the meet, of what the Jammu and Kashmir people lost after August 5, 2019.

    J&K Congress chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir told The New Indian Express that the invitation for the all-party meet was extended without an agenda. “This has never happened before,” he observed.

    The all-party meet to be chaired by PM Narendra Modi will be held in New Delhi at 3 pm on Thursday. At least 14 J&K leaders including four former CMs have been invited.

    “Our effort will be to first listen to the agenda of the PM. If he wants to listen, we will tell him what they (government) and the J&K people lost after Article 370 revocation. We will give him a powerpoint presentation on it,” Mir said.

    “The PM is misleading the world by saying that they ‘brought stars to the earth’ after Article 370’s revocation. We live here and we will inform him about the true picture and the impact on people,” he added.

    Mir said they will inform the PM that J&K people are in shock for the last two years after the Centre scrapped “our special status, snatched out statehood and bifurcated the state into two UTs. They have handed over J&K to the bureaucracy.”

    On August 5, 2019, the Centre scrapped Articles 370 and 35A, which granted special status to J&K and special privileges to J&K residents, and bifurcated J&K state into two Union Territories.

    “We will be representing the aspirations and wishes of the J&K people at the all-party meet. We cannot ignore the aspirations of people of J&K,” Mir said.

    In response to a question, J&K Congress chief said he feels that there is a realisation at the highest levels that whatever was done on August 5, 2019 has not achieved anything on the ground.

    He, however, said in the next five to six months, Assembly elections in some states are set to be held and when these Assembly elections and LS polls are held, J&K always is brought to the centrestage. “When elections are held in any state, the reference is made of J&K.”

    “It could be possible that to hide his government’s failure in managing Covid and to face polls in other states, the PM may try to prepare the ground for it from J&K,” Mir said.

    Asked why the Centre is convening an all-party meet, the J&K Congress chief said they will come to know about it through the posturing and language of the PM.

    “We too want to know why for two years they were speaking different languages. They were labeling somebody as Chinese, somebody as Pakistani and somebody as separatists and now all of a sudden how they have realised that they all are part of this country. The body language and agenda will make it clear,” Mir said.

    Kashmir Pandit group demands restoration of statehood with special status

    Satish Mahaldar, chairman of Kashmiri Pandit group — Reconciliation Return & Rehabilitation of Migrants — said the PM’s all-party meet with J&K leaders is an important step in building political confidence in J&K, which lost its statehood on August 5, 2019.

    “It is an opportune time to give back what is rightfully ours. The statehood to J&K should be announced as early as possible. But, along with statehood, special status should be restored to J&K,” he said.

    Mahaldar said the fact is that J&K is surrounded by two hostile countries — Pakistan and China — and witnessing militancy. So, it becomes imperative to accord special status to J&K.

    The Kashmir Pandit group also demanded guaranteed and protected rights to minorities and disadvantaged communities; preference to locals in jobs, educational institutions and setting up of industries, and protection of land and representation of the minorities in the J&K Assembly.