Not against dialogue, but there is no call from Centre: PAGD spokesman
Srinagar: Newly appointed spokesman of People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami on Sunday said that amalgam has never been against dialogue process but so far there has been no such offer from the Centre.
He said the Centre’s August 05, 2019 decision was taken without taking the political leaders and people of Jammu and Kashmir on board.
“There was no demand regarding the revocation of Article 370 and bifurcation of state from any group of people nor it was discussed with the mainstream parties here,” local news agency KNS quoted Tarigami as saying.
Criticising the demotion of J&K State into a Union territory, Tarigami said that there have been examples wherein union territories have been granted statehood but downgrading the Jammu and Kashmir State to a Union Territory was neither demand from Kashmir, nor from Jammu.
He also said that the mainstream parties of Jammu and Kashmir have never been against dialogue. “If there is any call from Centre for dialogue, we will welcome it, as we have committed to dialogue.”
He also said the PAGD was not able to meet regularly because of the Covid pandemic. “But we are committed to the alliance agenda, and there will be no compromise on it.”
He also said that the public outreach has been paused due to the Covid pandemic and related restrictions.
“Once the pandemic ends, we will take all stakeholders on board to discuss further strategy. We will resume public outreach programme once pandemic is over,” he said. (KNS)
