PAGD unaware about agenda of PM’s meeting, in a fix on how to move forward

The PAGD has called a meeting on June 22 to decide about the future course of action

Members of People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah and others during a press conference after their meeting, at Bathindi in Jammu. Credit: PTI Photo

Unaware about the agenda of the proposed meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 24, the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) is in a fix on how to move forward with the invite.

Finding no other options, the PAGD – an alliance of six parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including the National Conference (NC) and the PDP, formed in October last to fight for the restoration of erstwhile state’s special status under Article 370 – has called a meeting on June 22 to decide about the future course of action.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at the Gupkar residence of NC chief Farooq Abdullah, who is also the chairman of the PAGD at 11 am. However, the agenda of the PM’s meeting – the first such step from the Centre to end the political impasse in J&K after August 5, 2019 – has not been made public.

Also read: J&K leaders stick to statehood, but may attend PM Modi's meet

The two main constituents of the PAGD – the NC and the PDP – have been holding deliberations over the Centre’s offer for the last two days.

PAGD spokesman and senior CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, while confirming that the agenda of the PM’s meeting was not known, said the alliance will meet on Tuesday to decide about its strategy.

“The Prime Minister is convening the meeting and even the agenda is not circulated. Given an opportunity we will talk on our terms. It is not conditional dialogue,” he told DH.

Sources said the PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti is of the opinion that the PAGD should send Farooq Abdullah to participate in the meeting on behalf of the alliance.

Also read: Olive branch: 'J&K parties may soon get invite from New Delhi'

“By doing so, the PAGD can send a message that the alliance is united in their demand for restoration of J&K’s special status and statehood,” they said.

However, a senior leader of the PAGD, wishing anonymity, said that the alliance is in a dilemma.

“We can’t miss an opportunity to attend the PM’s meeting, but at the same time, the Centre has kept its cards closed. If we attend the meeting and nothing concrete comes out, the PAGD would lose its relevance,” he revealed.

The PM’s meeting with all political parties from J&K is part of the Centre’s initiatives to bolster political processes, including holding Assembly elections in the UT.

This will be the Prime Minister’s first interaction with all the political parties of the UT since August 5, 2019 when the Centre abrogated the state’s special status and bifurcated it into UTs.

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