With the security forces continuing to have an upper hand in Jammu & Kashmir and the state appearing to reap a “safety” dividend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to hold a meeting of all political parties in the state on June 24.
While the date could be still under discussion, official sources said the plan for the meeting is under consideration and has been tentatively scheduled. The meeting will be seen as a bid to move the political process in the UT after a gradual easing of restrictions on the internet and detention of political leaders. The agenda ahead includes delimitation and holding of elections and the installation of a government.
The meeting will be the first such political engagement since the Centre stripped Jammu & Kashmir of its semi-autonomous status in August 2019 and split it into two Union territories. A meeting has held on Friday by Union home minister Amit Shah in Delhi over preparations for the all-party meet even as the agenda for it was developmental issues and the current situation in Jammu & Kashmir. The state lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and other top officials attended Shah’s meeting. In a statement, the home ministry said Shah called all-around development and welfare of people of Jammu & Kashmir as the government’s top priority. Amit Shah was congratulated Sinha and his team for ensuring the Covid-19 vaccination drive has reached 76% of the target in the Union territory and 100% in its four districts. The statement said Shah asked authorities to ensure the farmers in the region get the benefits of the central schemes. Additionally, the state has been without an elected government since chief minister Mehbooba Mufti lost power when the Bharatiya Janata Party withdrew support to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led government in June 2018.
Meanwhile, District Development Council polls was first held in the region as part of efforts to restart political activities in Jammu & Kashmir last year. All major political parties participated in the exercise. The parties have also shown willingness to engage with the Centre.
The political mainstream of the union territory, especially those having a strong base in Kashmir Valley, have been critical of successive administrations of the union territory for neglecting the demands of the people and raising questions on the development slogan raised post-August 2019.
The Centre ended J&K’s special constitutional position on August 5, 2019. It was followed by a major crackdown and jailing of the mainstream leaders political parties, including Dr. Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
