The political parties signatories of the Gupkar Declaration, which vows to “fight for restoration of J&Ks special status”, will be meeting at the residence of National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Thursday afternoon. This will be the first full meeting of the political parties after over one year even as they had passed a resolution reaffirming their stand on August 22 this year after they issued the declaration on August 4, 2019, a day before the Government of India scrapped the special Constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir.
On Wednesday, NC vice-president Omar Abdullah who along with the senior Abdullah called on Mehbooba Mufti at her official residence said “all the signatories will be holding a meeting on Thursday 4 pm”.
Addressing media persons after the interaction with Mufti, Omar said the “prevailing political situation and the way forward for the Gupkar Declaration will be discussed in the meeting to be held on Thursday.”
“In order to discuss the prevailing political situation in Jammu and Kashmir, a decision has been taken to hold an all party meeting on Thursday 4 pm at Dr Farooq sahab’s residence. The agenda of the political parties with regard to the Gupkar Declaration will be discussed tomorrow,” Omar said. “Dr Farooq sahab requested Mehbooba ji to be a part of the meeting tomorrow so that all the signatories could also be invited for the meeting to which she has agreed upon,” Omar said.
However, Omar said the Abdullahs had called on Mufti on Thursday only to “know her well being,” without any political issues to be discussed.
“We are here today without any political motive and only wanted to know about her well being after she was released from over 14-month long detention,” Omar said.
Later in the day, Omar took to Twitter to describe the interaction and wrote: “My father & I called on @MehboobaMufti Sahiba this afternoon to inquire about her well being after her release from detention. She has kindly accepted Farooq Sb’s invitation to join a meeting of the Gupkar Declaration signatories tomorrow afternoon.”
Replying to Omar’s Tweet, Mehbooba wrote: “It was nice of you & Farooq sahab to come home. It gave me courage listening to him. I’m sure together we all can change things for the better.”
Later in the day, Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone also met Mufti at her residence.
Mehbooba had released an audio message on Twitter after her release late Tuesday night where she had termed August 5, 2019, a ‘black day.’
“I have been set free after more than a year today. All this while the dark day of August 5, 2019 and the decisions taken on this day kept troubling me heart within hearts. I fully realise that the same feeling would have been that of all the people of Jammu and Kashmir. None of us can forget the dacoity and insult committed on that day and now we all must firmly decide that what was snatched away in an unconstitutional and undemocratic manner would be brought back by us,” Mufti said. “Besides we need to strive for the Kashmir issue for which thousands of people have lost their lives. I agree this path would not be an easy one but I am hopeful that our zest and strong belief will help us to reach our goal. Today when I have been released, I would like that all those persons from Jammu and Kashmir detained in various jails of the country must be immediately released,” Mufti had said in the audio message.
Meanwhile, Awami National Conference patron Khalida Shah has welcomed the release of Mehbooba Mufti. A party statement said that Khalida Shah had a telephonic conversation with Mehbooba Mufti. “She termed the incarceration of Mehbooba Mufti as illogical, unwanted and uncalled for after the Government’s decision of 5th August 2019 that has pushed Jammu & Kashmir into a political crisis nationally and internationally,” said the statement.
“The entire country has been put to risk by the unconstitutional, illegal and arbitrary decision taken at the behest of divisive forces spearheaded by the RSS,” Shah said. Shah laid stress on the” historic requirement for a united fight to secure the special status of J&K State with honour and dignity,” the statement said. She said the Gupkar Declaration which has assumed a pivotal significance in ‘all the three divisions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh will leave no stone unturned to get the Constitutional position of J&K restored with honour and dignity.’