PHOTOS

Jammu & Kashmir leaders meet PM Narendra Modi, know who they are and what they said after the conference

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (June 24) met with the leaders of Jammu and Kashmir and said he wanted to end 'Dilli ki duri' as well as 'Dil ki duri' with Jammu and Kashmir, which has been witnessing prolonged spell of militancy and unrest.

He said this at a meeting held with the key political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir to discuss the future course of political action -- two years after the abrogation of the Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two union territories.

Take a look at who these political leaders are:

Zee Media Bureau|

Updated:Jun 25, 2021, 12:34 PM IST

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Meet was called to discuss issues related to the UT's development

The main focus of the meeting was to strengthen the democratic process and the prime minister assured that the central government was fully committed to the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir.

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Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah

Farooq Abdullah is the chairman of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference. He has served as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on several occasions since 1982, and as the union minister for New and Renewable Energy between 2009 and 2014. He is the father of former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah.

At the leaders meeting, he demanded the restoration of statehood and said they told PM Modi that the decisions taken in August 2019 were not in the interest of the people and should be reversed.

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NC leader Omar Abdullah

Currently the Leader of the Opposition in the J&K Legislative Assembly since 2015, Omar Abdullah was the chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir from 5 January 2009 to 8 January 2015. Previously, he had been Minister of State for External Affairs at the Centre from 23 July 2001 to 23 December 2002. A member of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, Abdullah represents the Beerwah constituency in the state’s Assembly. He had been elected to the Lok Sabha in 1998 from the Srinagar constituency.

He said, "We told the Prime Minister that we do not stand with what was done on August 5, 2019. We are not ready to accept it. But we would not take the law into our hands. We will fight this in court."

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People Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti

Mehbooba Mufti is a former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and the president of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). She became the CM after her father died and held the office from 4 April 2016 to 19 June 2018.

Mufti said she highlighted the issue of 'ongoing persecution' of Kashmiris and also asked Modi to resume dialogue with Pakistan 'to boost trade and maintain peace in Kashmir'.

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J&K Congress unit chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir

Ghulam Ahmad Mir is from the Indian National Congress who had represented Dooru (Vidhan Sabha constituency) in the Jammu and Kashmir State Assembly. He is the President of Jammu & Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee.

Azad was the first speaker at the meeting. Before putting the five demands, Azad raised his concern over the manner J&K’s statehood was removed without consulting the political leadership of the state.

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Former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad

Ghulam Nabi Azad is a leader of the Indian National Congress who was the 7th chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir from 2005 to 2008 and was the Minister of Health and Family Welfare. He also led the party successfully in the 2002 Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that at the meeting with PM Modi, Congress put forward five demands: immediate restoration of statehood, protection of land and jobs for the domiciles, return of Kashmiri Pandits, the release of political prisoners and assembly elections.

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Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami

Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami is the Convenor and Spokesperson of People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration. He is the Central Committee Member of Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the former state secretary of CPI(M) in Kashmir.

He told PM Modi it would have been wiser if this meeting was conducted before the nullification of Article 370.

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J&K Panthers Party chief Bhim Singh

Bhim Singh is the founder and president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP), a political organisation based in the conflict-torn Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

demanded full statehood and elections and that a delimitation process should be initiated only after an elected government is in place.

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People’s Conference leader Sajad Lone

Sajjad Gani Lone is a former Member of the Legislative Assembly elected from the Handwara constituency. He is the chairman of Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference.

Lone said there was a lot of “emotional bonding” between Modi and Kashmiri leaders and the meeting was held in a “cordial atmosphere.”

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Apni Party leader Altaf Bukhari

Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari is a politician from Jammu and Kashmir and the president of the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party. He was the MLA in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from Amira Kadal constituency for the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party.

He said he requested protection of land and jobs, improvement in infrastructure, and employment. He added Modi said delimitation would take place and this would be followed by the assembly elections.