PM likely to announce statehood for J&K in June 24 meeting
PM likely to announce statehood for J&K in June 24 meeting
Srinagar, June 21 :
Restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will be the agenda when Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets the representatives of the mainstream political parties from the UT in Delhi on Thursday.
What comes as the most important political development since 5 August 2019, the Prime Minister is likely to “deliver on the promise to Jammu and Kashmir” in the meeting, sources said.
" The PM is likely to make the announcement in June 24 meeting with the leaders from Jammu and Kashmir", sources privy to the developments said.
They said that Jammu and Kashmir “regaining statehood after the exercise of delimitation is completed” will be the key takeaway of the PM’s meet next week.
“ PM Modi government's naya (new) J&K blueprint will be discussed in the meeting. The PM will deliver on promise to Jammu and Kashmir,” sources said.
“J&K will be granted statehood soon, as promised in the past by PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah,” a source privy to the development said.
On 5 August 2019, government of India abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories— J&K and Ladakh.
As per sources, there will be “no discussions on the return of special status” to Jammu and Kashmir in the meeting scheduled for June 24 at PM’s residence.
As many as 14 leaders from Jammu and Kashmir including four former Chief Ministers of the erstwhile state have been invited for the meeting to be chaired by the Prime Minister on June 24 in New Delhi.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla reached out to these leaders inviting them to the meeting at the PM’s residence to “discuss the future course of action for the union territory”.
Among those invited are four former CMs Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah of the National Conference, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti. Four former Deputy CMs of the erstwhile state -- Congress leader Tara Chand, People's Conference leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig, and BJP leaders Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta -- too have been invited to the meet.
Besides, CPI(M) leader Mohammed Yusuf Tarigami, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) chief Altaf Bukhari, Sajjad Lone of the People's Conference, J-K Congress head G A Mir, BJP's Ravidner Raina, and Panthers Party leader Bhim Singh have also been invited.
The meeting, the first such exercise since the Centre abrogated Jammu and Kashmir's special status and bifurcated it into two UTs in August 2019, is likely to be attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other central leaders also.
