PM meets J-K leaders to chalk out future course of action

New Delhi, Jun 24 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a crucial meeting with 14 political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir, including four former chief ministers, to chalk out the future course of action in the union territory.
The meeting is the first between the Centre and mainstream Jammu and Kashmir politicians after the abrogation of Article 370 and the division of the erstwhile state into two union territories in August 2019. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval were among those attended the meeting at the prime minister’s residence. The four former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir who participated in the discussions were Farooq Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.

Restoration of statehood must to rebuild trust: Farooq

New Delhi: National Conference president and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to work towards building trust in Jammu and Kashmir by ensuring that its full statehood is restored.
Talking to PTI immediately after a crucial meeting chaired by the prime minister here, Abdullah said his National Conference would continue to challenge through legal and constitutional means the abrogation of special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution.
“There is a loss of trust which needs to be restored immediately and for that, to begin with, the Centre should work for restoration of complete statehood to Jammu and Kashmir,” Abdullah, who is a Lok Sabha member, said.
“I conveyed to the prime minister that the statehood means reverting even the IAS and IPS cadres of Jammu and Kashmir. The state has to be in totality,” he said after the meeting that lasted for over three hours.