‘Restoring J&K’s statehood remains at heart of Gupkar roadmap’

With the Parliament in session, the National Conference is planning to seek a short discussion on Kashmir. NC leader and MP from Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, Hasnain Masoodi tells Mir Ehsan that nothing has changed in the Valley since the August 5, 2019, decisions, and that the Gupkar Alliance (PAGD) was committed to its aim of restoring the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone’s departure.

What is PAGD’s position after the exit of Sajjad Lone and his party from the alliance?

This alliance was not formed to attain power, but to fulfil some objectives. The leadership, which continues to be committed towards its major goals, will meet very soon and devise the further course of action. We already have a road map. The DDC election was also a challenge for us, and we fared well. Now, we won’t rest until peace prevails in J&K and Ladakh.

Centre is saying that situation has improved in J&K since the scrapping of Article 370. Do you agree?

The statistics of what transpired in the erstwhile state in the past 15 months are with us. We also know well how things are moving on the ground here. The political aspirations of the people need to be addressed and grievances redressed. Only then could things move in the right direction. Small changes can never solve the bigger and deeprooted problems of a population in distress.

Now that several leaders and DDC members have exited the alliance, will PAGD be able to elect chairpersons in as many DDCs as predicted after the results?

Getting the chairperson posts is not the most important thing for us. This election was thrust upon us and still the people of J&K trusted the alliance even as many impediments were created. As far as chairperson selection is concerned, it will be done through democratic means. However, the DDC elections results were vital for us and the whole country has taken cognisance of the same, even the central government. They even saw what happened to their new political parties or candidates backed by them.

Are you satisfied with the results vis-à-vis NC?

Yes, we are very much satisfied. Not only NC, but other parties of the alliance also made big adjustments and the spirit of sacrifice was there within every constituent. The NC came down to less than 50 percent of seats. J&K’s autonomy, for which we passed a resolution in the assembly, is close to our hearts and we will strive towards it. The Centre has also realised what people in J&K want. We hope what happened on August 5, 2019, is undone soon.

There are cases against NC president Farooq Abdullah. Do you think it will affect PAGD?

So far, Farooq Abdullah has gracefully dealt with these false cases and allegations. This is not going to weaken him or the NC as everything will be faced by us and won’t dent our resolve towards the people of the state.

You are one of the petitioners in Supreme Court visà-vis revocation of Article 370. What happened to the case?

Due to Covid-19 restrictions and also as a large number of petitions were clubbed together in this case, it has got delayed. I hope that once the physical hearings begin, this case will be given top priority. We have already given a notice for urgency of this case.

Is NC going to raises issues of J&K in the current Parliament session?

Yes, we will seek a short discussion on Kashmir in the ongoing session. We will give the statistics to the House on how things have gone worse in J&K. More than 100 encounters have taken place here. Our internet speed is lowest in the country and the Centre, after 15 months of revocation of Article 370, is giving the impression to countrymen and the world that everything is normal.

You have accused the UT administration of sidelining local officers. Why?

It is true, local officers have been sidelined and out of the 10 key positions in the administration, only one is a local. This has created a lot of problems on ground and for the people.