M Aamir KhanSrinagar: Urging Centre to initiate dialogue for resolving Kashmir issue, six major political parties on Thursday resolved to jointly fight for the restoration of Article 370 under the banner of ‘Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration’.
“We have now named this alliance as Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration. Also, our battle is a constitutional battle. We want the government of India to restore pre August 5, 2019. At the same time, the political issue has to be resolved as quickly as possible. It can be resolved by dialogue through peaceful means with all the stakeholders, who are involved in the problem of Jammu and Kashmir,” National Conference president Farooq Abdullah told reporters after an all-party meeting at his Gupkar residence.
The meeting had been called by Abdullah on Wednesday, a day after the release of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti to chalk out the future course of action vis-à-vis the Gupkar declaration.
Prior to stripping of J&K’s special status on August 5 last year, the leaders had met at the Gupkar residence of Abdullah here and drafted the declaration.
Abdullah said they would also meet a cross-section of people across the union territory and have a broader discussion.
“Further, we will meet very soon. We are also going to meet people from other regions of the state so that we can have a broader discussion on the issues we are putting forward before the people of the state as well as the government,” he said.
He also demanded the release of other leaders that were placed under detention in the wake of centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370 on August 5 last year.
“We today met to congratulate and greet Mehbooba. It was an illegal, unjustified and unconstitutional move and already those who are still in the prison, we have demanded they must be released immediately without any delay,” said Abdullah.
Besides, Abdullah and NC vice-president Omar Abdulah, most of other Gupkar declaration signatories including Mehbooba, Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone, CPI-M leader MY Tarigami, Awami National Conference’s Muzaffar Shah and other leaders also attended the all-party meeting.
However, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president GA Mir did not attend the meeting. A JKPCC statement said Mir did not attend the meeting due to health reasons.
