Restoring Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)\u2019s statehood is a vital breakthrough that India\u2019s top leadership has set its eyes on after months of strategising by National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval.\u00a0 While they will restore statehood soon, as agreed in the past by PM Modi and home minister Amit Shah, there will be no talks on restoring the region\u2019s special status.<\/p>\n
Sources say that all parties were likely to accept the government\u2019s proposal \u2014 and recommendations of the delimitation commission planned by the Center\u2014 since they \u201care convinced that they have to play role in the progress and development of Kashmir.\u201d<\/p>\n
The restoration of statehood will be counted as the conclusion of a great achievement by the Center, which has ignored all warnings bout the consequences of its move to fully integrate J&K into the union of India.<\/p>\n
The June 24 meeting is significant in that representatives of regional powerhouses such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference (NC), as well as those from the Centre\u2019s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, among others, have been invited for the talks in Delhi.<\/p>\n
In the meeting, the PM will discuss a blueprint to begin the legislative process in the Valley. While the government is considering announcing statehood for J&K, this may have to wait till a delimitation commission established early last year submits its report. They said there will be no change in Ladakh\u2019s status for now.<\/p>\n
The progress comes after months of planning by Ajit Kumar Doval, fifth and current National Security Advisor, who initiated the process and even talked to separatists in the Valley in order to bring everyone on board. The local polls in J&K after the Article 370 move did not make much difference for the Union Territory and restoring its statehood as demanded by the Valley\u2019s leadership will initiate a new start for Kashmir.<\/p>\n
The government sources said Prime Minister Modi will also guarantee the parties that elections in the region which have been pending since 2018 \u2014 will be conducted soon. All regional parties will participate in the election process, which is expected after an ongoing delimitation exercise, they added.<\/p>\n
The delimitation commission seeks to redraw the electoral map of J&K by creating more constituencies \u2014 a long-pending demand of parties in Jammu, where the BJP is strong. The NC and the PDP are resistant to the delimitation exercise.\u00a0 Sources say that even after delimitation, there will not be any major changes in the basic geography of J&K.<\/p>\n
On August 5, 2019, the central government withdrew J&K\u2019s special status under Article 370 and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories \u2014 J&K with a legislative assembly and Ladakh without one.<\/p>\n
This move led to the imposition of restrictions on several political leaders and activists in the Kashmir Valley incurring a long lockdown.\u00a0 Slowly, authorities lifted the curbs and released politicians under detention; however, the economy of Kashmir has been destroyed drastically with this, and thousands lost jobs.\u00a0 COVID-19 added to the intensity of the situation.\u00a0 It is hoped that by this move, the broken economy, and other problems will be addressed and restored.<\/p>\n
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