SRINAGAR: The Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference on Thursday improvised a formal seven-party conglomerate called the People’s Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration, which includes Mehbooba The PDP and the Mufti Congress, to fight for the restoration of J & K’s special status. All parties to the alliance are the original signatories to the 2019 declaration initiated by NC at Farooq’s residence on Gupkar Road to resist the Center’s decision to nullify Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution.
The birth of a non-BJP alliance to campaign for a return to what was J&K prior to August 5, 2019, occurs within 48 hours of the administration’s release. ex CM Mehbooba 14 months in detention, the second half of which was under the strict Public Safety Law.
Farooq and his son Omar Abdullah, also a former CM, had visited Mehbooba at her residence in Srinagar on Wednesday to invite her to Thursday’s meeting at the private residence of the North Carolina chief and the Srinagar MP. J&K PCC Chairman Ghulam Ahmad Mir was the only one who missed the meeting due to a medical emergency.
In addition to Mehbooba, CPM Secretary of State Yousuf Tarigam, Sajjad lone from the J&K People’s Conference, the Awami Muzaffar Shah National Conference representative and Javed Mustafa Mir from the J&K People’s Movement were part of the Gupkar meeting.
Shortly after the meeting, Farooq told reporters that the People’s Alliance would continue from where the signers of the Gupkar Declaration had left off in extraordinary circumstances last year. “We decided to name the resolution the People’s Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration to make clear what our goal is. Our motive is to fight for the restoration of J & K’s position until August 4, 2019,” he said, flanked by Mehbooba and Omar .
Farooq said the campaign was not just about J & K’s former status as a state, but also about the “rights that were taken away” from the people of the Valley and Ladakh. “We also want steps to be taken to resolve the Kashmir issue with all stakeholders on board.”
Countering speculation that the alliance is a common political springboard for the Abdullahs and the muftis, Mehbooba tweeted later that day: “Don’t differ … The biggest disservice would be to narrow it down to PDP / NC or two political families.”
The date of the next alliance meeting has not yet been decided. Farooq said that all decisions made by constituents and the way forward will be made public on the day of the meeting.
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