Surprising many, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (June 24) met the Gupkar Alliance and its leaders and discussed the future of Jammu & Kashmir at length in a three-hour-long meeting. While none of the leaders present at the meet talked about the rollback of Article 370, citing it was for the courts to decide, the conversation mainly stayed in the ambit of discussing how Jammu & Kashmir could develop going forward.
Congress senior leader and one of the dissidents in the G23 group of leaders, Ghulam Nabi Azad was the one leading the delegation and it can be attributed that his political acumen ensured that the other frenzied and polarised leaders did not destroy the initiative taken by the government. Moreover, unlike other leaders, Azad raised the issue of rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, whilst fulfilling his party duties by subtly demanding statehood.
Meanwhile, talking to reporters after the meeting, Azad said that the Home Minister said the government is committed to granting statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Ever since Azad’s retirement from the Rajya Sabha, the Congress leader has shown a change in his political guard. And while the government moves forward with the aim to hold elections in the valley, a strong and a level-headed opposition could be the key. The likes of PDP and NC are yet to let go of their old style of politics that only thrives on conflicts in the valley. But having Azad in their corner could help BJP string the two union territories together more cohesively with the country.
We are committed to ensure all round development of J&K.
The future of Jammu and Kashmir was discussed and the delimitation exercise and peaceful elections are important milestones in restoring statehood as promised in parliament.
— Amit Shah (Modi Ka Parivar) (@AmitShah) June 24, 2021
It wouldn’t be hyperbole to say that Azad could be Congress’s second Pranab Mukherjee. The former President of India during his last stretch of political career, true to his nationalist credentials did not waste any opportunity to set the opposition and specifically Congress in place whenever the Sonia Gandhi led party veered off the path of the pro-India road. Pranab da even went to an RSS function that certainly riled up the entire Congress brass. Even when his own partymen attacked him, Pranab Da stood tall and withered the storm unleashed by Congress.
Read More: Pranab Mukherjee: The Congress leader who never became PM only because of Gandhi family
Reported by TFI, ever since his Rajya Sabha term came to an end in February this year, the senior Congress leader has been singing songs of praises for PM Modi and in hushed tones, of BJP.
“I like lot of things about many leaders. I’m from village & feel proud… Even our PM hails from village & used to sell tea. We’re political rivals but I appreciate that he doesn’t hide his true self. Those who do, are living in bubble,” Ghulam Nabi Azad had said earlier this year.
Even PM Modi had got emotional while bidding adieu to the senior Congress leader. Reminiscing particularly of an incident when a terror attack occurred in 2006, in which Gujrati families became the victims, the PM remarked with a choked voice as tears rolled down his eyes “Azad was the first person to call me. During that call, he could not stop crying,”
The then CM of J&K went to the airport when the bodies were sent back and kept in touch till the plane landed in Gujarat.
Delimitation the key to J&K’s fortunes
According to government sources, the main focus of the meeting was to strengthen the democratic process. PM Modi said that the government is fully committed to the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir. He stressed that holding assembly elections just like the successful conduct of District Development Council elections is a priority.
“Today’s meeting with political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir is an important step in the ongoing efforts towards a developed and progressive J&K, where all-round growth is furthered,” tweeted PM Modi after the meeting.
Today’s meeting with political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir is an important step in the ongoing efforts towards a developed and progressive J&K, where all-round growth is furthered. pic.twitter.com/SjwvSv3HIp
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 24, 2021
By calling the meeting, PM Modi has played on the front foot and ensured that whatever happens in the valley in the coming future is based on the terms set by his government. Meanwhile, Congress cannot let go of Azad despite knowing that the leader is steadily batting from PM Modi’s corner. Doing so will ensure that the party has no stake in the ‘Kashmir conversation’ and thus it will be interesting to observe how PM Modi uses Congress’s quandary for the valley’s benefit.