Gupkar Alliance adopts resolution to restore J&K's status under Article 370, 35A

A meeting of PAGD was held at alliance chairman and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah's residence at Gupkar.

The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) that held a meeting in Srinagar on Tuesday adopted a resolution to restore the constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh under Article 370 and 35A.

PAGD leaders meet at the residence of its chairman Farooq Abdullah in Srinagar on Tuesday. (ANI)

The alliance’s spokesperson and CPI(M) leader MY Tarigami made the announcement on the resolution at the end of the meeting that was called to discuss the prevailing situation in the Union territory and have wider consultations on the way forward for restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting was held at alliance chairman and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah's residence at Gupkar at 11 am.

The PAGD is an alliance of six mainstream political parties seeking the restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir which was revoked by the Narendra Modi government in August 2019.

Besides the heads of the constituent parties, several middle and lower-rung leaders attended the meeting. Speaking to reporters outside Abdullah's residence, senior vice president of Awami National Conference, a constituent of the alliance, Muzaffar Shah said the agenda of the meeting, apart from the restoration of the Article 370, is to launch a mass contact programme.

Asked about the reports of the administration having denied permission for the meeting, he said a democratic meeting cannot be denied.

"We are holding a democratic meeting and the government cannot stop us from doing it. We will discuss how to reach out to every region's aspirations," Shah said.

Earlier, a leader of the alliance had said that the meeting would be different from the earlier ones.

"This time it is not only the top leadership of the constituent parties which has been invited for consultations, but the middle rung leadership as well," he had said.

The meeting has been called to discuss the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir and "have wider consultations on various issues", he added.

(With agency inputs)