Srinagar, Aug 04: Leaders of the mainstream political parties in Kashmir held an all party meeting Sunday evening here and vowed protect and defend identity, autonomy and special status of the J-K against all attacks and onslaughts whatsoever.
The representatives of different mainstream political parties met at the Gupkar residence of National Conference president and Srinagar Member Parliament Dr. Farooq Abdullah to deliberate upon the prevailing political situation triggered by massive deployment of security forces, advisories issued, abandonment of Amarnath Yatra midway, and “forced removal” of tourists from the Valley, said a statement issued after the all party meet.
It said the meeting was presided over by Dr. Farooq Abdullah, was attended by, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, party patron Muzaffar Hussain Beg, Abdul Rehman Veeri; Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone, Imran Raza Ansari, Abdul Ghani Vakeel; Congress leader Taj Mohiuddin, CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami, NC vice-president Omar Abdullah, NC MPs Justice (retd.) Hassnain Masoodi, Mohamad Akbar Lone, PUF leader Shah Faesal and Uzair Ronga, NC leaders Ali Mohammad Sagar and Nasir Aslam Wani, ANC’s Muzaffar Shah, and others.
According to the press statement, the all party meeting unanimously resolved that all the parties would be united in their resolve to be protect and defend identity, autonomy and special status of the Jammu and Kashmir against all attacks and onslaughts whatsoever.
It said that “Modi-fixation — abrogation of Articles 35-A, and 370, unconstitutional delimitation or trifurcation of the state would be an aggression against the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.”
The parties participating in the meeting resolved to seek audience with the President and Prime Minister of India and the leaders of other political parties to apprise them of the current situation and make an appeal to them to safeguard the legitimate interests of the people of state with regard constitutional guarantees given to the state “under the Constitution of our country”.
Meeting also resolved that they will also apprise them of the “unwholesome consequences bound to follow the unconstitutional violation of these guarantees”.
Pertinently, Kashmir has been on the edge following the deployment of additional troops and the state administration’s order asking the Amarnath Yatra pilgrims and the tourists to leave the Valley owing to security reasons.
Earlier in the day, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said the leaders of various political parties had decided to meet at a hotel here, but the police asked it not to allow any political meeting in its premises
“The political parties here had decided to hold a meeting at a hotel today. But, police has issued an advisory to all hotels not to let political parties hold any meeting in their premises. Now we are holding the meeting at my residence at 6 pm today,” she told reporters here.
However, later the meeting took place at NC president’s residence.
Mehbooba also said the Centre was not bothered to speak on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We had made an effort to tell the people of this country and the government about the consequences if they toy with Articles 35-A and 370 (of the Constitution). We made an appeal too, but no assurance has been given yet from the Centre. They are not bothered to say anything, to say that everything will be alright,” Mehbooba said.
Asked about the situation on the Line of Control (LoC), the PDP president said. “We have heard about the situation on the border. The civilian casualties are condemnable, we are hearing that cluster bombs are being used. This is very wrong. This is done by Israel. Our country is the Gandhi’s country and if this is happening, then it is very wrong.”
The former chief minister also accused the Centre of using corruption as a tool against the leaders of the mainstream political parties in the Valley.
“They (Centre) did whatever they had to with separatists. Now, they are using many tactics against mainstream political parties. When they got a hint of an all party meet, Farooq (Abdullah) was taken to Chandigarh (for questioning by the ED in cricket association scam).
“They are using corruption as a tool against political parties, crackdowns are being done, workers are being harassed, detained in police stations and their security withdrawn,” she alleged.
“They (Centre) are making them (mainstream political leaders) vulnerable so that if anything happens tomorrow and people get angry, they (people) direct it at the mainstream parties rather than the Centre, and, god forbid, they are creating a civil war-like situation. It is a very sinister design that is going on,” Mehbooba added.
