Meeting on ‘Gupkar Declaration’ today, Mehbooba to attend
Dr Farooq, Omar Abdullah, Sajad Lone call on freed PDP leader; others welcome release
Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has convened a meeting at his residence on Thursday for chalking out the future course of action on ‘Gupkar Declaration’ with regard to the special status of Jammu and Kashmir which was revoked by the Centre last year.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, who was released from detention after 14 months on Tuesday, will also attend the meeting.
“My father and I called on Mehbooba Mufti Sahiba to enquire about her well-being after her release from detention,” NC vice-president Omar Abdullah told reporters.
He said the PDP leader has accepted the invitation for the meeting of signatories to the Gupkar Declaration on Thursday.
“She has kindly accepted Farooq sahib’s invitation to join a meeting of the Gupkar Declaration signatories tomorrow afternoon,” Omar said.
Gupkar Declaration is a resolution issued after an all-party meeting on August 04, 2019 at the Gupkar residence of the NC president.
The resolution at the end of the meet on August 04, 2019, a day before the Centre announced its decision of revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and split it into two Union territories, said the parties unanimously resolved that they would be united in their effort to protect and defend the identity, autonomy and special status of Jammu and Kashmir against all attacks and onslaughts.
The parties had met again in August this year and vowed to fight for restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier, National Conference leaders Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah and Peoples Conference President visited Mehbooba Mufti at her residence.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram welcomed her release and called on all mainstream political parties in the state to come together to fight what he said was the “tyranny” of the Centre.
“Happy that Ms Mehbooba Mufti has been finally released after 14 months of unjustified detention. Sad that the central government and the J&K administration have not yet realized the enormity of the abuse of law,” Chidambaram said.
“All mainstream parties in J&K should come together to fight the tyranny of the central government,” the former home minister said in a series of tweets late Tuesday night.
Former Sadr-e-Riyasat and Congress leader Karan Singh also welcomed Mehbooba Mufti’s release and expressed the hope that she will strengthen the democratic process by taking her agenda to the people once fresh elections take place.
DMK chief M K Stalin also expressed happiness over her release and urged the government to free other political detainees.
“The democratic processes, which have been suspended during this time, must also be reinstated,” he tweeted.
