Abid Bashir
Srinagar, Jun 22: In a significant political development, Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) Tuesday said that they have accepted the Prime Minister Narendera Modi’s invitation for a meeting on June 24 in New Delhi and that they will represent people of Jammu and Kashmir including Ladakh in the session. The PAGD leaders said that they will pitch hard for restoration of “what was ours and what can remain ours” hinting that they will seek roll back of the August 5, 2019 announcement of Delhi.
Addressing a joint press conference after a marathon meeting at National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah’s Gupkar residence, the PAGD leaders said that they will also seek release of political prisoners and shifting of inmates from various Indian prisons to J&K jails.
It may be recalled that PAGD leaders met under the chairmanship of Dr Farooq at his residence at 11 am today.
Talking to reporters, Dr Farooq, who heads the PAGD said: “Our stand is clear and all of you know what our stand is. Since New Delhi has invited leaders’ individually, we have decided that all those invited will attend the meeting and put forth their points on J&K.”
Dr Farooq said that there is no fixed agenda for the meeting. “We can talk on any and every issue in the meeting,” he said. The PAGD chief said that whatever transpires in the meeting will be put forth before media in New Delhi and in Srinagar also. “Whatever they will tell us and whatever we would tell them will be shared with you all,” he told media men.
Speaking on the occasion, M Y Tarigami said that they will not ask for stars from the sky in the PM’s meeting on June 24. “We will seek something that is ours and will remain ours,” he said, hinting that they will seek restoration of Article 370 and Article 35 A.
He said that they will go to Delhi and represent the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. “We will put forth the aspirations of people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh in the meeting. Whatever is possible within the Indian constitution is what we are going to seek,” said Tarigami, who is the chief spokesman of PAGD.
Chipping in, PDP chief Mehbooba said that earlier there was a suggestion that only Dr Farooq would represent PAGD in the June 24 meeting but now there is a consensus that all those who have been invited will go. “We are not against dialogue. My late father Mufti Muhammad Sayeed has always advocated dialogue for resolution of issues. I believe New Delhi should have released all political prisoners for creating an atmosphere for talks but it didn’t,” she said.
Later, after her Bijbehera visit, Mehbooba said: “In PAGD meeting, I had suggested that we should demand release of political prisoners or they be shifted to J&K prisons but consensus didn’t evolve and I didn’t wasn’t to sabotage talks at this juncture.”
Awami National Conference vice-president Muzaffar Shah while speaking on the occasion said: “There will be no compromise on Article 370 and Article 35 A.” (KNO)
