Our stand known to all: Farooq; Mehbooba says will discuss August 5 decision
Amjad Hussain
Srinagar: After hectic deliberations vis-à-vis participation in all party meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, the constituents of Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) Tuesday unanimously decided to attend the meeting and put forth conglomerate’s stand before India’s premier.
Addressing a joint press conference at PAGD president, Dr Farooq Abdullah’s residence at Gupkar, constituent parties including NC, PDP, CPI-M, ANC and Peoples Movement after an important meeting of the conglomerate unanimously decided to attend the meeting.
However, it was decided that all the member parties would attend the meeting in individual capacity as the invitation was extended individually to their leaders.
Dr Farooq Abdullah who heads PAGD said their stand is known to everyone and the same needs not to be repeated. He said they will put forth their stand before the Prime Minister and Home Minister of India and will also seek their response.
He said since there is no fixed agenda of the meeting, leaders are free to put forth their stand before the leadership in New Delhi on June 24.
“PM has extended an invitation to the political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir and we have decided to attend the meeting, we hope that we will put forth our stand before HM and PM, and when meeting is concluded, we will brief the media here and Delhi as well,” Farooq told reporters.
“You are aware of our stand and the same needs not be repeated, our stand is, was and will remain. Rest whatever we do and discuss there in the meeting, we would also seek their response,” added Farooq.
NC president while replying to query said only those who have been invited will attend the meeting including Mehbooba Mufti, he himself and M.Y Tarigami.
“As the invitations have been extended to the leaders individually, they will attend the meeting in individual capacity and put forth their stand freely as there is no fixed agenda of the meeting,” added Farooq.
Speaking on the occasion, PDP Chief and PAGD vice-president, Mehbooba Mufti said the leadership will press for the release of political leaders and also seek those lodged in different jails of India are shifted to Jammu and Kashmir.
PDP president and former chief minister said they are not against the dialogue but some confidence building measures needs to be taken for sustained peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
She also said had New Delhi been really serious to reach out to the people and leadership, who she said were humiliated to the core for the last two years, political leaders from J&K should have been released or shifted to local jails.
“We are not against the dialogue as Mufti Sahab was always beginning with dialogue; we want some confidence building measure to be taken, Prisoners across India were released in view of the pandemic, likewise political leaders from J&K should have also been released or shifted here,” she added.
Mehbooba asserted that poor people seek donation and then move to outside jails to meet their children or other family members.
She also said that there is no fixed agenda of the meeting hence leaders invited will put forth their stand before the central leadership. Mehbooba said they will also discuss August 5, 2019 decision and tell them that the move was illegal and unconstitutional.
“We would press for the confidence building measures like release of prisoners. People suffered losses after 2019, transporters, tourism sector others were badly hit, but these are secondary issues, we first discuss PAGD agenda for which this alliance was formed and what was snatched from us, we will discuss on those issues,” she added.
CPI-M leader and PAGD spokesman, M.Y Tarigami on the occasion said the issues confronting people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh would be discussed threadbare in the meeting.
“Concerns of people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh and their hopes with this meeting and us would be discussed, I would like to assure that we will not ask for stars but demand what was ours and shall remain ours,” he said.
He said those invited will attend the meeting as true representatives of the people of all three regions as they have got an opportunity once again.
“Today we got an opportunity; first of all there should be no misconception that we are going to sign the agenda of GOI but we go there to know PMs Suggestion. If suggestions would be in our favor we will say yes, if not we will say a big no,” Tarigami added and said they will seek reversal of August 5, 2019 decision.