The statehood of Jammu Kashmir will be restored soon, as promised by the BJP Government, CNN News 18 reported.
Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will discuss the restoration of statehood to Jammu Kashmir (J&K)’s during his meeting with various political parties from Jammu Kashmir on June 24.
Quoting Sources, the report said, Jammu Kashmir will be granted statehood soon, as promised in the past by PM Modi and home minister Amit Shah, but there will be no talks regarding restoring of Articles 370 and 35 A, a demand sought by the People’s Alliance for Gupkar declaration, an umbrella of political groups operating in Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh regions.
On August 5, 2019, the Modi Led BJP Government unilaterally withdrew Jammu Kashmir’s special status granted under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories — Jammu Kashmir with a legislative assembly and Ladakh without one.
The move was followed by months of restrictions and imprisonment of thousands of people including political leaders, journalists and activists in the Kashmir Valley.
The June 24 meeting in this backdrop is significant, as it is being viewed as the beginning of direct talks between the Valley’s leadership and the Centre at this scale.
So far 14 political parties including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference (NC), as well as those from the Centre’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, among others, have been invited for the talks in Delhi.
Quoting Sources, the report further added that the PM will discuss a blueprint to begin the political process in the Kashmir Valley. The government is considering announcing statehood for Jammu Kashmir, but the move might have to wait till a delimitation commission set up early last year submits its report.
The developments come after months of strategizing by NSA Doval, who spearheaded the process and even talked to separatists in the Valley in order to bring everyone on board. Though there have been local polls in J&K after the Article 370 move, a forward step in restoring its statehood — as demanded by the Valley’s leadership — will be watershed.
Even after delimitation, there will not be any major changes in the basic geography of J&K, the sources said. The sources indicated that all parties were likely to accept the government’s proposal — and recommendations of the delimitation commission — since they “are convinced that they have to play role in the progress and development of Kashmir.”