Congress stands for restoration of status and rights of Jammu and Kashmir, says Chidambaram

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday welcomed the political alliance formed by the mainstream parties of Jammu and Kashmir to call for restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state as it existed before August 5 last year.

Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said Kashmiri leaders have formalised an alliance that has been named the ‘Peoples’ Alliance for Gupkar Declaration’. He said the alliance will strive for restoration of the constitutional position in respect of Jammu and Kashmir as it existed before August 5 last year.

In a series of tweets, Chidambaram also said that his party “resolutely stands” for the restoration of the status and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The coming together of mainstream regional parties of J&K to fight a constitutional battle to restore the rights of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh is a development that must be welcomed by all the people of India,” he said. “The Congress also resolutely stands for restoration of the status and rights of the people of J&K.”

“The arbitrary and unconstitutional decisions of the Modi government of August 5, 2019, must be rescinded,” he said.

“The central government must stop looking at the mainstream parties and the people of J&K as secessionist or anti-national,” added the former finance minister in another tweet.

Chidambaram’s comments came a day after mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir held a meeting and formed the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration for restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state and to initiate a dialogue between all stakeholders in the issue.

However, the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday alleged that the alliance has been formed on the directions of Pakistan and China and guided by “anti-India” forces, warning that the alliance partners will have to face serious consequences for any “misadventure”.

“Gupkar alliance has been formed on direction of Pakistan and China. It is being directed and guided by anti-national forces,” said Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina.

He said the formation of the alliance by the NC and the PDP “is an agenda of anti-national forces that want to destabilise the situation in the Kashmir valley”.

“We will never ever allow the agenda of the Gupkar alliance to be implemented in J&K and allow it to succeed,” he said. He also warned the alliance partners that if any misadventure and “anti-national” agenda is carried out, they have to face serious consequences.

“We will not tolerate it. At no cost their nefarious designs will be allowed to succeed,” he said.

Raina said a conspiracy is being hatched by the Abdullahs and Muftis against the country.

The alliance came into shape on Thursday at a meeting held at the Srinagar residence of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, which was attended by former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti, Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone, People’s Movement leader Javaid Mir and CPIM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami.

On August 4 last year, all major political parties in Kashmir, except the BJP, had met at the residence of Farooq Abdullah amidst uncertainty and tension in the erstwhile state as the Centre had rushed additional paramilitary forces there while asking all tourists including Amarnath pilgrims to leave the Valley as soon as possible. The joint statement issued by the political parties, expressing concern over the situation, came to be known as the Gupkar Declaration.

The Centre revoked the special constitutional status of the state and also bifurcated it into two union territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. In a follow up, the political parties had met again in August this year and vowed to fight for restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

(With inputs from PTI)