Mehbooba says they will talk restoration of article 370 with New Delhi
By: Tariq Shah VOV
Srinagar
After the second meeting of People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Tuesday, the head of the alliance Farooq Abdullah told media who were waiting outside that they have decided to participate in the all party meeting scheduled to be held at New Delhi by Prime Minister.
In a major political outreach Prime Minister Modi has invited many political parties and political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir for an all party meeting at New Delhi.
Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti who has been on the forefront against the move of abrogation of article 370 told media that the agenda of People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) in the meeting would be to talk about restoration of article 370 and article 35A.
She told NDTV, “Statehood (for Jammu and Kashmir) is the Prime Minister’s own commitment. They won’t be doing us a favor by giving us statehood back. Gupkar Alliance has been formed for the restoration of what was taken away from us on August 5, 2019”.
NDTV in its report has said about the development as “There can be no compromise on Article 370 and 35A,” alliance member Muzaffar Shah said.
Home Minister Amit Shah last Friday met National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and top security and intelligence officers.
In August 2019, the Centre ended the special status to Jammu and Kashmir and divided the state into two Union Territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Top leaders in Jammu and Kashmir – including Ms Mufti, Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah – were arrested just before the Centre announced the big decisions in parliament. The three former chief ministers were released later.
NDTV had, earlier this month, reported that the Centre was likely to start the political process that has been virtually non-existent since 2019.
The Centre is also expected to discuss assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, due since 2018, when the BJP snapped ties with its coalition partner and then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
Local body polls in Jammu and Kashmir were held in December; the Gupkar Alliance won more than 100 seats and the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 74 seats.
With inputs from NDTV
