Gupkar Alliance renews its pledge to ‘fight for Art. 370, J&K statehood’

‘Nothing substantial has emerged after catchy Dilli ki doori and Dil ki doori slogan’

People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an alliance of J&K’s mainstream opposition parties and their allies from the national Left parties, said on Tuesday that nothing has changed on the ground even after Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, had at his meeting with the leaders of mainstream parties from the erstwhile state on June 24 said that he wants to bridge ‘Dilli ki Dori (distance from Delhi) as well as Dil ki Dori’ (distance from the heart)’.

It, therefore, renewed its pledge to fight for the rights of the people of J&K and Ladakh particularly for restoration of Articles 370 and 35A and statehood. It also demanded unconditional release of all political prisoners

and an immediate end to “indiscriminate use of draconian laws”.

“Nothing substantial has emerged after the catchy ‘Dilli ki dori and Dil ki dori’ slogan was coined by the Prime Minister at his meeting with J&K leaders in New Delhi two months ago. No confidence-building-measures

have been taken to provide some relief to distressed people of the region,” said CPIM leader and PAGD spokesperson Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami.

Earlier, the alliance leaders closeted at the residence of its president and former chief minister

Farooq Abdullah here to adopt a fresh resolution, reiterating demand for restoration of Articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution and full statehood as it existed before the government stripped J&K of its special status and split it into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019.

It said that the Centre’s contentious move “has created a big political void and deep uncertainty in the erstwhile state”. The PAGD said that it was most unfortunate that the judicial challenges to the abrogation of these provisions in contravention to the Constitution remain pending before the Supreme Court even after a lapse of two years.

Mr Tarigami said that all top posts in the J&K administration and police are held by people from outside.

— PTI Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration spokesman M.Y. Tarigami with other leaders addresses a press conference after a meeting in Srinagar on Tuesday.