File photo of vehicles plying on roads near Lal Chowk in Srinagar as markets reopened in May of this year after a Covid lockdown (Photo Credits: PTI)
Jammu and Kashmir, LoC put on alert ahead of all-party meet on J&K called by PM Modi
The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, especially areas along the LoC, have been put on alert ahead of the all-party meet on J&K. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the meeting in New Delhi on Thursday.
HIGHLIGHTS
- PAGD, Congress and others have agreed to attend
- Internet services could be snapped in J&K on Thursday
- Delimitation, restoration of statehood could be discussed in the meet
Jammu and Kashmir has been put on alert for the next 48 hours ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s all-party meet with political leaders from the UT. Similar orders have been issued for areas along the Line of Control (LoC).
Internet services in the Union Territory of J&K could also be snapped on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for an all-party meet of political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir. The invitation was accepted by leaders of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), Congress and a number of other J&K-based parties.
The all-party meeting comes nearly two years after Parliament voted on the abrogation of Article 370.
Former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta and J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina left Jammu for New Delhi on Wednesday. A former ally of the BJP, Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP, was also seen leaving Srinagar to attend the all-party meet.
Leaders of PAGD, a coalition of mainstream parties in J&K, met at National Conference leader and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah’s residence on Tuesday and held discussions for an hour.
“Will only talk after meeting with PM. Came for PM’s meet with open mind,” former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti told India Today on Wednesday.
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| PAGD leaders meeting at Farooq Abdullah’s residence in Srinagar on Tuesday (Photo Credits: PTI) |
The meeting will also be attended by former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and J&K Congress chief GA Mir. The decision to take part was taken in a high-level meeting of the Congress chaired by interim party president Sonia Gandhi.
Prof Bhim Singh of the J&K Panthers Party, who will also be attending the meet, said no agenda had been set for the all-party meeting. “Despite the opposition, I would say that PM Modi showed courage and intelligence by calling the meeting,” said Bhim Singh.
Altaf Bukhari of the Apni Party and Sajad Gandi Lone and Muzaffar Hussain Baigh of the Peoples Conference are among the 14 leaders from J&K invited to the meet. Others include NC leader Omar Adbullah, Tara Chand of the Congress, Nirmal Singh of the BJP and CPI(M)’s MY Tarigami.
Agenda of all-party meet
In fact, the meeting comes at a time when the Delimitation Commission for J&K is holding deliberations with stakeholders and is likely to present a report. This report, based on the 2011 Census and submissions by district collectors from across J&K, could lead to the possibility of assembly elections in the UT.
While the Centre has not set an agenda, delimitation, statehood and other key issues are likely to be discussed during the all-party meeting on Thursday. (Source: India Today )
