Stage is set for Delhi—J&K talks; is statehood on cards?

Centre invites all mainstream leaders from J&K for June 24 meet in Delhi; NC, PDP to deliberate on invite tomorrow; PAGD’s crucial meeting on Tuesday; Delhi session to start at 3 pm Thursday

Srinagar: For the first time since abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, New Delhi has reached out to J&K’s mainstream camp with a formal invitation for participation in the crucial meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendera Modi on June 24 in Delhi.

National Conference, PDP, Congress, Peoples Conference, CPI(M), ANC confirmed to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that they have received formal invitation from New Delhi for participation in the important meeting on June 24 in New Delhi. Sources said that the Delhi session to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendera Modi will commence at 3 pm while Union Home Minister Amit Shah co-chair the meet.

NC chief Dr Farooq Abdullah said that he has received an invitation for June 24 meeting. “We have convened meeting tomorrow to discuss the invitation and to frame an agenda if we decide to participate in the same,” the NC chief told KNO.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has also received an invitation from New Delhi. “I got a phone call from Delhi asking me to participate in June 24 meeting,” she said.

PDP spokesman Suhail Bukhari said that the party’s political affairs committee (PAC)

Sources said that Congress chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir too has been invited for the meeting. Similarly, Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone has also been invited to participate in the meeting. Centre has also invited senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad. J&K PCC spokesman Ravinder Sharma said that they will discuss the invite and take a call on the same within two days.

CPI (M) J&K Secretary M Y Tarigami said that he got phone call from Union Home Secretary for his participation in June 24 meeting in New Delhi. J&K Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari said that solution to J&K’s problems lies at New Delhi.

“We openly claim that we have a relation with Delhi. Solutions to J&K’s problems lie at New Delhi not Islamabad, New York or London. We too have received an invitation from New Delhi for June 24 meeting. Delhi’s invitation to J&K’s political parties is a welcome development. My question to all the political parties is they called us King’s party, now who is king’s party?,” Bukhari told KNO in an obvious reference to NC and PDP. Bukhari said there were three main issues restoration of statehood, security of jobs and security of land.

“With God’s grace and support of PM Modi and HM Amit Shah we have managed security of jobs and security of land and I believe within a year or so, statehood will also be restored.”

Sources said that besides the party presidents, New Delhi has also invited former chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of J&K. Meanwhile, BJP’s JK unit head Ravinder Raina has also been invited for the meeting. The June 24 meeting will be first since abrogation of J&K’s special status on August 5, 2019. The Center’s decision had created a political vacuum in the UT as majority of the mainstream leaders, who would participate in the Delhi meet, served detention post article 370 abrogation.

A senior NC leader while reacting on the Delhi’s decision of inviting them said it seems that Centers wants to bridge the gap with J&K’s mainstream leaders, who remained cut-off from it since August 5, 2019. “There has been a great sense of insecurity among all mainstream leaders and the move seems to be aimed at building bridges again. We believe it’s a good move but it would be premature to talk much on the June 24 move and it’s better to wait for the meeting first,” he said, wishing not to be named. —(KNO)