Bukhari led J&K delegation to call on PM, HM to press for statehood demand

A delegation of Jammu and Kashmir citizens led by former state minister Syed Altaf Bukhari will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to press for restoration of statehood and domicile rights.

On Thursday, a meeting of senior political leaders, academicians, legal luminaries and social activists took place in Jammu, a spokesman of the group said in a statement.

It was unanimously decided that the group, led by Bukhari, will call on Modi and Shah and press for issues like restoration of statehood and domicile rights for land and jobs, he said.

The meeting also took stock of the present socio-economic and political situation in Jammu and Kashmir and stressed on the need to provide the people with a viable, democratic political alternative, he said.

Hectic deliberations were also held to reach out to the people to mobilise a democratic grassroots movement aimed at developing strong local structures on the ground, spokesman said.

During the course of the meeting two committees were set up, he said.

The meeting also underlined the urgent need for the release of all political prisoners, including former three chief ministers, who are under detention in Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the country.

Taking serious note of the economic situation, they demanded immediate relief for agriculture, horticulture, handicrafts, tourism, hoteliers and others.