Srinagar: The meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with 14 political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir reverberated with demands of restoration of statehood and holding of assembly elections.
The meeting came 22 months after the Government of India unilaterally scrapped Article 370 and demoted the state into two union territories on August 5, 2019. The meeting is a significant departure of the BJP-led government from its stated position, which was to do away with the old guard and raise a new class of leaders in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting, held at the official residence of the Prime Minister, started at about 3pm and lasted for more than three hours. Home Minister Amit Shah alongside J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, NSA Ajit Doval, and Union Minister Jitendra Singh participated in the meeting.
The leaders from J&K included Farooq Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah, Kavinder Gupta, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, Nirmal Singh, Tara Chand, Mohd Altaf Bukhari, Sajad Gani Lone, Ravinder Raina, Gulam Ahmed Mir, Mohd Yousuf Tarigami and Bhim Singh.
Emerging from the meeting, former deputy chief minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig said that majority of leaders talked about restoration of statehood. “PM Modi said that it is necessary to ensure that Jammu and Kashmir becomes a zone of peace rather than a zone of conflict,” he told media persons.
People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone said that the meeting was held in a very cordial manner.
“We came out quite positive that hopefully there will be some delivery for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Lone said.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said that the meeting was held in a cordial manner and said that the people of J&K have been feeling angry and humiliated since the abrogation of Article 370. “The unconstitutional and illegal decision of abrogation is not acceptable to people of Jammu and Kashmir. We will struggle peacefully, whether it takes months or years, but we will get Article 370 restored. It was bestowed to us by India and not by Pakistan. There will be no compromise on it,” she said.
According to her, she also raised the issue of holding talks with Pakistan and resumption of trade with Pakistan through Jammu and Kashmir. “There should be an end to arrests and slapping of cases under UAPA and harassment of journalists. Prisoners in jails should be released,” the former chief minister said.
In the meeting, Modi appreciated the cordial atmosphere of talks and the frank exchange of views, an official handout said.
He stressed that the priority is to strengthen grassroots democracy in J&K and delimitation has to happen at a quick pace so that polls can be conducted and J&K gets an elected government.
“PM told the leaders of J&K that it is the people, especially the youth, who have to provide political leadership to J&K, and ensure their aspirations are duly fulfilled,” it said.
The Prime Minister also expressed satisfaction at the progress of development projects in J&K. He urged all the leaders to work together for the progress of J&K and to realise the aspirations of youth.
Amit Shah said that Jammu & Kashmir has come a long way with major boost to development along with transparency. Around 90% saturation has been achieved in individual beneficiary Central Government schemes in J&K. Several major road projects, two new AIIMS, 7 new Medical Colleges are being set up. New industrial policy has been notified with Rs 28,400 crore package to accelerate industrial growth in J&K with creation of 4.5 lakh jobs, the official handout said

Reader correspondent