Srinagar: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday held consultations with his party leaders from Jammu regarding the invitation to mainstream political parties in the J&K for talks.
Talking to media persons after a three-hour meeting at senior Abdullah’s Gupkar residence, National Conference Provincial President Devender Singh Rana said that dialogue and inclusiveness are the essence of democracy.
He described the All Party Meet of J&K leaders with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a step in the right direction.
Rana said any dialogue that can take Jammu and Kashmir “out of morass and lead to the welfare of the people is welcome.”
He said that the entire team from Jammu has reposed faith in Dr Farooq Abdullah, “who is not only the President of National Conference but the tallest leader of Jammu and Kashmir.”
He said Dr Farooq Abdullah alone can take this dialogue forward and represent Jammu and Kashmir with his wisdom for the welfare and betterment of the people and the state.
Saying that the pluralistic Jammu has its own aspirations, which they will always uphold, Rana observed while replying a question, “We are for a singular Jammu and Kashmir and have always stood for a united state with equitable justice to all the regions and sub-regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh”.
Expressing optimism about the meeting, Rana hoped that it will be held with an open mind so that the deliberations help in bridging the gap and ending the trust deficit.
The leaders led by Rana elaborately dwelt over the urges and aspirations of the people of the Jammu region and their expectations with the All Party Meet scheduled to be held tomorrow in New Delhi.
Besides General Secretary Ali Mohammed Sagar, the other prominent Jammu leaders present in the meeting included Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, Rattan Lal Gupta, Khalid Najeeb Suharwarthy, Sajjad Kichloo, Javed Rana, Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Shah Bukhari, T. S Wazir and Anil Dhar. (GNS)