Jammu & Kashmir

Will first discuss strategy to be followed if invited by New Delhi for talks: Farooq Abdullah

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Srinagar: Amid media reports that the Government of India (GoI) is going to invite political parties of Jammu and Kashmir for talks on June 24 in New Delhi, National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah Saturday said that they will first sit and discuss the strategy to be followed if they get the formal invitation from New Delhi.

The PDP chief, however, confirmed that she has got an invitation from New Delhi while J&K Apni Party states that the “solution to JK’s problems lies at New Delhi.”

Dr Farooq while speaking to news agency Kashmir News Observer said: “So far, we haven’t received any formal invite from New Delhi for talks. If we get any invitation, we will first sit and discuss the strategy to be adopted for the meeting. So far we haven’t received any invitation from the Centre.”

The PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, however, confirmed that she has received a formal invitation from New Delhi for the meeting on June 24. “Yes, I got a phone call from Delhi and I have been invited for a meeting on June 24. The meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister of India Narendera Modi,” she said. “I haven’t decided yet whether to attend the meet.”

Asked whether all mainstream leaders have been invited, she feigned ignorance by stating that “I have no idea…”

CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami also said that he hasn’t got any invitation from the Centre. “Neither formal nor informal invitation has been received by me. There is no communication from New Delhi at all,” he said. Sources, however, confirmed that GoI is going to invite all the leaders from J&K’s mainstream camp one by one. “All the leaders will be invited through phone calls,” a source privy to the development said.

J&K Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari said that the solution to J&K’s problems lies in New Delhi. “We openly state that we have a relation with Delhi. Solutions to J&K’s problems lie at New Delhi, not Islamabad, New York or London. 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 said 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.”

Earlier, reports suggested that the Government of India is planning to reach out to major mainstream regional and national level political parties for participation in a round table conference likely to be held from June 24-25 in Delhi.

Reports quoting top sources had said that formal invitation letters will be sent to all the top leaders of JK mainstream parties at both the regional level and national level for participation in the round table conference.

The move comes shortly after recent rumours over further bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir which were attributed to the handiwork of some “anti-national elements” by JK Lt Governor Manoj Sinha.

Rumours of further bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir were witnessed immediately after the replacement of B V R Subrahmanyam as Chief Secretary by Ashok Kumar Mehta an IAS officer of the erstwhile JK cadre who has occupied several top key positions during his 30 years long chequered bureaucratic career in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Amid rumours over further bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah led Peoples’ Alliance For Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) had after several months of silence held a meeting in Srinagar after which the PAGD leaders reiterated their demand for restoration of statehood and special status revoked by the GoI on August 5, 2019.

The major political move of holding a round table conference comes amid fears of further division of Jammu and Kashmir and speculation about the participation of three National Conference Parliament Members in the next meeting of the Delimitation Commission.

 

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