Political circles hopeful about significant positive outcome of PM Modi’s visit

Srinagar, Mar 6:  As Kashmir is all set to warmly welcome and listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his visit here tomorrow, the political circles are optimistic about a significant positive outcome of the visit.

The political leaders hope that the visit and the Bakhshi Stadium rally will further consolidate the efforts of the Prime Minister to remove the "Dilli ki Doori" (the distance from Delhi) and ‘Dil Ki Doori’ (the distance from the heart).

This is his first visit to Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 and is taking place just before the Lok Sabha polls in the country.

On June 24, 2021, while addressing an all-party meeting with political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi, the Prime Minister stated that he wanted to remove the "Dili Ki Doori" and "Dil Ki Doori."

On the ground here there is already enthusiasm and all preparations at government and non-government levels are being given a finishing touch to give the Prime Minister a rousing reception and make the public rally at Bakhshi Stadium very successful and historic.

It is for the first time that a Prime Minister will address a public rally at Bakhshi Stadium in the heart of the city. This also reflects the confidence in the security set-up in the much-improved security scenario. While required security arrangements are being made, the venue, its adjoining places and other areas of the city are being decorated to welcome the Prime Minister.

After taking over as the Prime Minister for the first time in May 2014, he has visited Jammu and Kashmir several times. He addressed rallies in different areas. The Bakshi Stadium rally will be his third in Srinagar city. Before that, he had addressed a BJP election rally at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium here on December 8, 2014, followed by a rally at the same venue on November 7, 2015. Prime Minister Modi has attended several government functions at SKICC and elsewhere.

For the Bakshi Stadium rally tomorrow elaborate preparations have been made. At the political level, all eyes are on the speech of the Prime Minister and its impact on the political scenario of Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the country.

Senior political leader and President of Apni Party

Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said the visit of the Prime Minister is a matter of joy and happiness for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have great hopes. “ We hope that the honourable Prime Minister would announce here that the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is restored immediately after he gets the third term in office,” he said.

Bukhari added that he is also optimistic about the Prime Minister taking up the issue of holding assembly polls in J&K with the Election Commission of India ( CI). “ We are hopeful of simultaneous polls ( Lok Sabha and assembly) in April-May and appeal to the honourable Prime Minister to use his good offices in this direction,” he said.

J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina said that there is a lot of enthusiasm among the people of Kashmir regarding the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “People in all corners of Kashmir are eager to wholeheartedly welcome him since he is the most popular leader here like in other parts of the country.”

Raina stated that the Prime Minister has done a commendable job for the development of Jammu and Kashmir and the welfare of its people. “He wants to carry forward this momentum in his next term also,” the BJP leader said.

Former minister and Chairman J&K Peoples Democratic Front (J&K PDF) while welcoming the visit of the Prime Minister hoped that a massive employment package would be announced for thousands of educated unemployed youth of Jammu and Kashmir. He also expressed hope that the visit will give momentum to the restoration of statehood and holding of assembly polls with Lok Sabha elections here.

Similar views were expressed by some other political leaders.