PAGD reiterates demand to restore statehood for J-K
The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Tuesday demanded the restoration of the pre-August 5, 2019 constitutional position of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, saying it would continue the fight to seek the rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
The alliance of the six mainstream political parties, which seek the restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state, held a meeting at its chairman and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah’s residence at Gupkar here.
The meeting was also attended by the middle and lower rung leaders of the constituent parties of the alliance.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, PAGD spokesperson and CPM leader MY Tarigami said seeking the restoration of the special status, which was revoked by the Centre on August 5, 2019, is the constitutional right of the people of the erstwhile state. “We are not seeking anything other than the restoration of the special constitutional position that Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh had till August 4, 2019. It is our constitutional right,” he said.
Tarigami, who was flanked by other leaders of the alliance, including Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, said a few people were interpreting their demands some other way and calling them “anti-national activities”.
“They try to harass the leaders associated with the alliance and continue with slanderous campaigns. Perhaps, it has not happened before that the voice of the people was being stopped this way. It is impossible to keep stopping the voice of the people,” he said.
The alliance spokesperson said the silence in Jammu and Kashmir has been considered as normalcy. “Even today, they think Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh should be silent like a graveyard, and it is not acceptable to the present government and leadership that anyone should raise his voice or keep his head high,” he claimed.