Democracy has a unique ingredient known as dialogue which resolves almost all problems and what places democracy above all political philosophies is the principle and accepted practice of solving differences through the process of dialogue. Prime Minister Narendra Modi demonstrated it by inviting the entire political leadership of Jammu and Kashmir for open, free and frank talks without confining to any specific agenda .The invited leadership also reciprocated the democratic initiative of the PM by actively participating in the meeting. That, any leader could raise any issue and discuss it threadbare lent an air of full freedom and liberty to raise issues, people’s issues, grievances, demands and the like and made the meeting at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg not only a lengthy one stretching to over three and a half long hours but each and every participant spoke what one wanted to, making it meaningful and fruitful. That the Prime Minister believes in respecting plurality of views or including all views in the debate to be heard in the spirit of ending “Dilli ki Duri and Dil Ki Duri” ‘was manifest in the meeting of June 24.
As expected, almost all important issues mainly of political nature as also pertaining to development , were raised and heard in an atmosphere of cordiality and positivity . Issues purportedly raised mainly pertained to restoring of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir , starting political process of conducting assembly elections, delimitation process, releasing political prisoners and the like. Not only that , demands like rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits , protecting land and jobs of the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir and issues pertaining to need for augmentation of infrastructure in Education, Health, power, Jal -Shakti , Tourism, Agriculture, horticulture etc were also raised . In other words, issues and difficulties of the people of Jammu and Kashmir found prominence in the meeting. The significance of this meeting and the import it carries with it, has to be seen in proper prespective lending it the due purpose and sensitivity. In other words, it was no formal or a routine meeting but a message , cogent and clear – that grass root democratic process was to be given the necessary impetus , top priority and full support in Jammu and Kashmir. Presumably, a meeting of such a nature could have taken place earlier had COVID -19 pandemic not put enough strains and kept the government from holding the same but a slight easing in the situation immediately led to holding of the meeting.
While Dr. Farooq Abdullah , Gulam Nabi Azad, Mehbooba Mufti, Dr. Jatindera Singh, Prof. Bhim Singh, Kavindra Gupta , Omar Abdullah and others put forth elaborately their points of views , the Prime Minister who chaired the meeting heard them and their views in a patient manner , all in democratic traditions which resulted in all participants feeling the utility and the gains of the meeting going to achieve much desired results progressively. The outcome of the meeting was , therefore, a general satisfaction from both the sides and that is the crux of how dialogues and meetings hold much importance under democratic system.
The main focus of the meeting , as such, was to further strengthen the democratic process especially after the last year’s successful beyond expectations – District Development Council elections, the first in the history of Jammu and Kashmir in which PAGD won 110 seats followed by the BJP winning 75 . In this connection , the Prime Minister assuring that the central government was fully committed to the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir should allay fears, if nursed in any quarters. Participation of the people was concomitant for their progress and to “ensure their uplift”. That all participants in the meeting talked within the realms of the constitution of India and democracy was the biggest achievement and the success of this meeting , the expectations, therefore, being of such meetings more in the future to further lend strength and vigour to the democratic process. However, it was made clear that the pace of the exercise of delimitation process would be accelerated to pave the way for holding Assembly elections. Since the government was principally committed to restore the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, no fixed immediate timeline could be decided.
It is a natural corollary and in the spirit of listening and debating under democratic process that solutions on the spot are not dished out but nevertheless , an inclusive debate and dialogue as took place in the meeting about which every participant of divergent political thought confirmed that the same was held in the most positive and cordial atmosphere , results do come with resounding and of far reaching benefits. Even a token mention of separatists, Pakistan meddling ,militants etc was nowhere mentioned and that too for the first time at such a high level meeting in respect of Jammu and Kashmir. Analyse it politically and a hope is generated that new goals with new visions backed by strategies – all to be employed are in the offing to give Jammu and Kashmir a new face of democratic confidence building democratic process, development and progress where in the words of the Prime Minister , youth had to be involved .
Jammu and Kashmir has been passing through the most turbulent moments for the last over three decades the causes and reasons hardly need to be enumerated but on the other hand, of late, developmental processes have been accelerated. Many pro- people initiatives oriented development achieved in Jammu and Kashmir too came in for discussion which was creating new aspirations and hopes in the people though much was needed to be done. While all efforts are needed to be pooled to bring about total peace and violence free atmosphere in this part of the country , the Prime Minister lamenting as “painful” over even one death taking place in Jammu and Kashmir, he laid stress upon the need of harnessing the “collective duty to protect the younger generation”. That should send the clear message to those few who still did not prefer to join the mainstream and take the other way which meant only violence and pain. The Prime Minister assuring to give the opportunities to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to “give back lots to the country” carried a message of positivity and hope which needed to be read with open and clear mind.
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