In run up to the much-hyped meeting between local political leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 24, speculations are rife in Jammu and Kashmir that India may take an initiative to bolster the political process and announce restoration of statehood and assembly elections in J&K.
Not only speculations, there is also a hope among people particularly in Kashmir Valley regarding the upcoming meeting.
What would be the Centre’s next move has even generated anxiety among some people. Notably, the government of India Saturday extended an invitation to 14 political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir including National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti for a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 24.
The deployment of additional troops in some areas of Jammu and Kashmir earlier this month created an uncertainty in the erstwhile state.
Few social media posts claimed that Kashmir will be bifurcated. Yet another post which almost went viral on social media almost passed a judgement that a separate UT for Kashmiri Pandits will be carved out in Kashmir. However, all these speculations proved a mere hearsay in the end.
Now there is fresh buzz about Jammu and Kashmir, both in New Delhi and in the UT. PM Modi’s scheduled meeting has generated lot of a debate in the streets of Kashmir and of course on social media.
However, one good rumor making rounds about this proposed meeting is about holding assembly elections in the region.
Meanwhile, in an interview to ‘Times of India’, recently Jammu and Kashmir Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha said ‘…Polls in Jammu and Kashmir will be held after delimitation.’
Needless to say a new political start in Jammu and Kashmir is a must to bolster the stalled political process in the region.
It is also important because new political leaders in the region are coming to the fore and it will be interesting to see how they would represent themselves and vow the electorates when assembly elections are held in Jammu and Kashmir.
It will also be interesting to see how Centre will involve political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir in future course of action in the region.
There is still some uncertainty who among the 14 leaders invited by PM Modi would attend the meeting.
People of Jammu and Kashmiris are expecting a few major decisions in the meeting to secure their future and strengthen peace and development in the region.