Mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir held a meeting on October 15, 2020 and formed an alliance for restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state’s pre-August 5, 2019 constitutional status.
The meeting was held at the residence of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and attended by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone, Peoples Movement leader Javaid Mir, CPIM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, and Awami National Conference vice-president Muzaffar Shah.
Mehbooba was the last of the prominent mainstream politicians to have been released, 14 months after the special status of the J&K was revoked. No other prominent politician of J&K is now in jail except separatists.
The leaders decided that the Gupkar Declaration would be renamed as People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration. Calling it a constitutional battle, Farooq Abdullah said the leaders shall struggle for restoration of what was snatched from J&K and Ladakh. He also said the alliance seeks a dialogue between all stakeholders for resolution of the issue pertaining to J&K.
Sidelight
On August 4, 2019, the Gupkar Declaration was signed in a meeting of the mainstream political leadership of Kashmir, during which they unanimously resolved that “all the parties would be united in their resolve to protect and defend identity, autonomy and special status of the JK against all attacks and onslaughts whatsoever”. The meeting was convened at MP Farooq Abdullah’s residence on Gupkar Road in Srinagar, which is how the name of the document came to be known.
The alliance will work against Parliament’s August 5, 2019 move of scrapping Article 370 that guaranteed special constitutional status to J&K and bifurcated the state into UTs of J&K and Ladakh.
On August 4, 2020, all major political parties in Kashmir, except BJP, had met at the residence of Farooq amidst uncertainty and tension as the Centre had rushed additional paramilitary forces there while asking all tourists, including Amarnath pilgrims, to leave the Valley as soon as possible. In a follow up, the political parties had met again in August 2020 and vowed to fight for restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Courtesy: Hindustan Times