New Delhi: Why did Kashmiri leaders accept Modi’s invitation? The Union Home Secretary had invited the leaders of Jammu and Kashmir to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This meeting has been kept on June 24. On Tuesday, the Gupkar coalition – which includes Dr. Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti of the People’s Democratic Party – decided to attend the meeting.

Dr. Abdullah, president of the People’s Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), said, “We have received an invitation from the Prime Minister. We are going to attend the all-party meeting. We will make our stand clear to the Prime Minister and the Home. After that, we will inform the people about the outcome of the meeting. Our stand is still the same.

The decision to meet the Prime Minister was taken after the PAGD meeting on Tuesday. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Dr. Abdullah at his residence. Leaders of the National Conference, PDP, CPI(M), Awami National Conference and Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement participated in it.

Mehbooba Mufti said that she was reluctant to attend this meeting. He said, “We are not against the dialogue process. I don’t want to be seen as someone who is creating hurdles. This is the invitation of the Prime Minister. I was of the opinion that Dr. Abdullah should represent the coalition in the meeting as we have the same stand.”

PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti also said, “There is a need to establish peace in the entire region, not just Jammu and Kashmir. Our government is talking to the Taliban in Doha, Qatar. Along with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, there should be talks with Pakistan also.

Mehbooba Mufti has been an attacker on the Modi government for ending the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The special status of Jammu and Kashmir was abolished by the Modi government on August 5, 2019.

Mehbooba said, “I will raise the issue of political prisoners of Jammu and Kashmir. New Delhi should release all political prisoners to create an atmosphere of dialogue. I want Kashmiri prisoners to be shifted from outside jails to Srinagar jail (Why did Kashmiri leaders accept invitation).

The Indian Express also carried an analysis on the front page of why PAGD leaders decided to attend the meeting called by the Prime Minister on Thursday. On the one hand, the central government has decided to hold talks after two years, and on the other hand, the leaders of the coalition have decided to join the talks.

A PAGD leader told The Indian Express on the condition of anonymity, “After August 5, 2019, there is no immediate compulsion for the Center to amend its policies at the local level here. There is no room for any kind of dissent in the meeting… it is important that the dissenting leaders are in jail. They have been silenced. They have taken their decisions accordingly.

That leader told the Indian Express that the external environment has changed. He said, “China entered Galvan, changed the government in America, and is withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan. There is every possibility that the Taliban will return to Afghanistan. America needs to have a strong presence in Pakistan. All these changes are having an impact on South Asia.