National Conference president and Member of Parliament Farooq Abdullah today said that the aim of the People's Alliance is to ensure that the rights of people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are restored, says Saying that they are anti-BJP and not anti-national.
The statement came after the members of People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration met at PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's residence in Srinagar for the first time after its formation.
Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference has been appointed the president of the Gupkar Declaration and former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti its vice-president. Formed in August of last year ahead of the Abrogation of Article 370, the 'People's Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration'.
Farooq Abdullah said, "This is not a traitorous group. Our aim is to ensure that the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh get their rights back. An attempt to divide us in the name of religion will fail. This is not a religious battle. ”
Farooq further said “Article 370 of the Indian Constitution granting special state status to Jammu and Kashmir was declared for the first time by Mehbooba Mufti's house after the announcement of the alliance of leaders of this organization formed to protest against the reorganization of the state. But they met and made the old flag of Jammu and Kashmir their symbol”.
"We are anti BJP, not anti-national. Attempts of dividing us in the name of religion will fail. It's not a religious fight," the NC leader said after the meeting.
Sajjad Lone, while giving details of the decisions made in the meeting, said, "Farooq Abdullah will be the President of the People's Alliance and Mehbooba Mufti will be the Vice President." CPM leader Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami has been appointed as the convener of the Alliance, then Sajjad Lone of the People's Conference The spokesperson has been created.
Sajjad Lone said the coalition would issue a white paper on Jammu and Kashmir administration within a month. He said that the white paper would not be rhetoric. It will be based on facts and figures, which will put the truth of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in front of the country. Such a perception is being made that all corruption took place only in Jammu and Kashmir. The alliance decided to hold the next meeting in Jammu a fortnight later.
"A document will be prepared within a month through which we will present facts behind the lies that are being propagated. It'll be a tribute to people of J&K who are being slandered," Lone added.
Sajad Lone, who has been appointed as spokesperson of the group, announced that M Y Tarigami has been appointed as convener of PAGD while Hassnain Masoodi will be its coordinator.
It was decided the flag of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State will be the symbol of the group and next meeting of the group will be held in Jammu within two weeks.
The group has decided to come up with a document on lies being spread against people of Jammu and Kashmir and white paper will be the tribute to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
What is the Gupkar declaration
On August 4, 2019, Gupkar declaration was signed before the abrogation of Article 370. All the local political parties met at the Gupkar Residence of Farooq Abdullah to discuss the tensed situation triggered by the massive deployment of security forces and forced removal of tourists from the valley.
Farooq Abdullah stated that he will raise the Gupkar declaration in Parliament and this struggle will be Gandhian as they never believed in stones and bullets.
Six parties involved in the alliance
Six parties have joined hands to implement the secret declaration. These include National Conference chaired by Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP, Sajjad Gani Lone People's Conference, Awami National Conference, Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement and local unit of CPI-M.
BJP said, Mehbooba should be arrested
BJP's Jammu and Kashmir responding to the PDP chief’s statement that she would only hold the tricolour when the flag of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir is restored, the BJP leader said only the national flag will flutter in the Union territory.
Referring to the National Conference and PDP leaders, he claimed that when they are in power, they praise India, but when out of power, they remember Pakistan and China.
"They will not be allowed to take forward an anti-India agenda. Let them try, this Gupkar Gang is getting strengthened from six parties to 600, we will not allow them to fulfil their dreams. They are a bunch of power hungry people and the people of Jammu and Kashmir know them very well…,” Raina alleged.
“What if Mehbooba does not hold the tricolour in her hand, there are crores of people in Jammu and Kashmir who love and respect the national flag from the core of their hearts,” he said, adding that his party will celebrate the ‘accession day’ on October 26 by hoisting tricolour and taking out rallies to send a strong message.