In one of the major political developments in Jammu and Kashmir in the last two years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for an all-party meeting at his residence on 24 June. As per the sources, this would be a major reach out programme by New Delhi after 5 August 2019 when the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was done away with and the erstwhile state was divided into two Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
Soon after the political leaders of various J&K parties started receiving calls of invitation from the Home Secretary for the Friday meeting, there has been a flurry of activities in the Valley, with speculators having a field day.
On Sunday, the parliamentary affairs committee meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was held in Srinagar where the issue was discussed threadbare. The committee has authorised party president Mehbooba Mufti to take a final call on the Friday meeting.
The National Conference (NC) too is holding a series of meetings to discuss the PM’s invitation. Party sources said that a discussion on the issue is going on with leaders from Jammu and Ladakh and a final decision would be taken by Monday afternoon.
Political analysts believe that before making their decisions public, the NC and the PDP want to discuss the issue at a meeting of Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) which is meeting in Srinagar on Tuesday. Apart from the NC and the PDP, the PAGD comprises the CPI(M) and the Awami National Conference. Peoples Conference of Sajjad Gani Lone parted ways with the PAGD following differences with other constituents over the DDC elections. The APNI party of Altaf Bukhari is playing solo.
Sources told The Daily Guardian that instead of attending the meeting individually, the PAGD wants to present a joint face before the Centre and to carve such a strategy, a meeting has been called in Srinagar on Tuesday. PAGD chief Farooq Abdullah, however, has made it clear that the group was open for talks with New Delhi. So, there is very little chance that the meeting would be boycotted.
Apni Party spokesperson Rafi Ahmed Mir while talking to The Daily Guardian said that the PM’s meeting was a good development which should be grabbed. “There has been no political process during the last two years. It is a good platform to take up the issue of statehood, delimitation and employment, etc, and we should grab it,” said Rafi.
Though the speculations are flying thick and fast on the agenda of the PM’s meetings, sources told The Daily Guardian that delimitation and holding of Assembly elections would be key points of discussion during the meeting. Though the Kashmir-oriented parties may press for the restoration of statehood and special status to Jammu and Kashmir, it is very unlikely to be addressed as of now. “As far as Article 370 and 35A is concerned, the case is pending in the Supreme Court and we shall have to wait for the outcome. But as far as other issues are concerned, we should take them up fearlessly in the meeting,” Rafi Mir told The Daily Guardian.
With all eyes now focused on the 24 June meeting, it remains to be seen what would be the outcome of the PAGD meeting in Srinagar on Tuesday. In all likelihood, no political leader would like to miss the bus because for the last two years they have been living in a political vacuum and this is a move that can revive political activities in Jammu and Kashmir.