PDP, Centre not on same page, meet between Mehbooba and PM critical: Defence expert

Former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police and defence expert M.M. Khajuria on Saturday said the expected meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has to be seen as critical since there is an impression that the Centre and the state government are not on the same page.

Khajuria told ANI that Mehbooba Mufti appeared combative, while Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh was conciliatory during their recent joint press conference held in Srinagar.

"Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was very categorical and combative about the role of anti-national forces in the current terrorist situation in Kashmir, the Home Minister was conciliatory, and the manner in which the press conference ended, the Home Minister was suggesting restraint on the part of the chief minister. It gave the impression that they are not on the same page," he said,

He further added that Mehbooba Mufti had two options -- either to seek a clear cut policy directive from the Prime Mistier or invoke measures to ease the situation in the Kashmir valley.

"I believe the chief minister will be putting her point of view before the Prime Minister and seek a clear cut policy direction. She can insist on introduction of calling confidence building measures to ease the situation in Kashmir based on the agenda of the alliance. We will have to wait and see where it will go from here," he said.

Mehbooba Mufti will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi today and is expected to discuss the current state of unrest in the valley.

This is the first meeting between the two after the unrest broke out in the valley on July 8, a day after Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani was killed in Anantnag by security forces.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Modi met a delegation of opposition parties from the state led by former chief minister Omar Abdullah.

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