Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed to a group of 14 leaders from Jammu & Kashmir that he wanted to remove “dil ki doori and Dilli ki doori” — distance between hearts and the distance with Delhi — National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah said after a meeting to chalk out the future course of action in the union territory, on Thursday.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Omar said both PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah assured that they were committed to the restoration of J&K’s statehood. The meeting was called nearly two years after the Centre abrogated special status of the erstwhile state and bifurcated it into two union territories — J&K and Ladakh.