All parties will abide by the “Gupkar declaration” of August 4, 2019, in which regional parties and the Congress resolved to protect Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status and fight against any move to dilute it, the statement said.
The regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir, just over a year after the centre revoked special constitutional status granted to Jammu and Kashmir and divided the state into two union territories, have formally joined hands to fight against the move shedding their own old rivalries aside.
National Conference, People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Conference, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Congress and Awami National Conference, in a joint statement, have said that the August 5, 2019 decision of the centre has changed the relationship between Jammu and Kashmir and New Delhi. As s guaranteed by the constitution under Article 370, the vowed to fight for the restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
All parties will abide by the “Gupkar declaration” of August 4, 2019 in which regional parties and the Congress resolved to protect Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status and fight against any move to dilute it, the statement said.
However, the Congress party seemed to be having second thoughts. GA Mir, state Congress chief, said,”Our representative had signed Gupkar declaration last year. A lot has changed since then. We are for restoration of statehood to J&K but on abrogation of 370, we should wait for Supreme Court verdict rather than forging any political entente.
“Dr Farooq Abdullah spoke to me a few days back but I have not signed the statement,” he added.
Mehbooba Mufti, who’s still under detention under the Public Safety Act, praised long time rival Farookh Abdullah in a tweet for ensuring political unity in Kashmir to fight for its rights.
“Ms Mufti appreciates the statesmanship shown by Dr Farooq Abdullah sahab in forging a collective response to Delhi’s onslaught on J&K’s special status. It’s time we forego and stand together,” the tweet said.
Once a close ally of the BJP, Sajjad Lone, also supported this move by the regional parties. He tweeted: “A very satisfying day. We firmly believe that a collective mechanism is the only way out. It is no longer about power. It is about a struggle to get back what rightfully belongs to us. Thanks Dr Farooq sahib Mehbooba Ji and Tarigami sahib.”
Full text of the joint statement by all parties:
The unfortunate events of 5th August 2019 have unrecognizably changed the relationship between J&K and New Delhi. In a spitefully shortsighted and unconstitutional move, Articles 370 and 35A were abrogated and the State was bifurcated and relegated to the status of two Union Territories and its Constitution tried to be made unenforceable.
The series of measures undertaken on 5th August 2019 were grossly unconstitutional and in reality measures of disempowerment and a challenge to the basic identity of the people of J&K. The measures attempt to redefine who we are. These changes were accompanied by repressive measures meant to silence people and coerce them into submission, and continue unabated.
These are testing times and times of pain for the peace loving people of J&K. We all reiterate our commitment to collectively fight to restore the Special Status of J&K as guaranteed under the Constitution and the commitments made from time to time. There is unanimity amongst us that collective institution is the effective way to fight for these rights and tirelessly struggle to get back the special status and restore the Constitutional guarantees forcibly taken away, against our will. We want to assure the people that all our political activities will be subservient to the sacred goal of reverting to the status of J&K as it existed on 4th August 2019.
While expressing gratitude to the people of India, the political parties, the intelligentsia and other civil society groups for opposing the unconstitutional measures of 5th August 2019 and ever since standing with the people of J&K in this crises, we appeal for their unstinted support to our just cause till the unconstitutional measures of 5th August 2019 are undone and the special status of J&K restored.
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