The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) is holding its first meeting in Jammu on November 7.
Even as the Government has termed new Land Laws as ‘modern and progressive’, the resentment of the political parties has not ended.
Insiders told the Greater Kashmir that National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party will hold separate party meetings a day before the scheduled People’s Alliance meeting to discuss the present political situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The NC meeting will be headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah and the PDP meet by Mehbooba Mufti.
“In these meetings both the political parties will take into confidence the leaders of Jammu region, representing all the districts,” sources in the National Conference and PDP said.
“The issues will be discussed with them threadbare particularly related to abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, and downgrading of the State and its division into two Union Territories,” sources said.
On November 7, the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration will hold its meeting at the Bathindi residence of Dr Farooq Abdullah.
“There is anger among the people in Jammu region especially Jammu, Kathua, Samba and Udhampur districts against the new land laws and they have apprehension of losing land. Not all, but many people in the border belt of Jammu region have state land and they are cultivating it for decades,” said a Kashmir-based politician.
He said: “We have to fight for our rights unitedly i.e. Jammu as well as Kashmir region from one platform. Both regions are interdependent and should remain united,” said a senior politician from Kashmir who is also part of Gupkar Alliance.
The sources said that all the members of PAGD were likely to participate in the scheduled meeting, however Congress is likely to skip the meet.
“At present, the party is busy with the Bihar elections. Participating or not participating in PAGD shall be decided in consultation with the Congress Party High Command after the Bihar elections,” said Chief Spokesperson Congress, Ravinder Sharma.
Sharma said: “Our party’s stand is known that we are against the abrogation of special status of J&K, downgrading of State into Union Territories.”
“We want restoration of Statehood, restoration of PRC (Art 370), and re-unification of J&K including Ladakh, liberation of Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) and Territory under China occupation,” said Sunil Dimple, president, Jammu West Assembly Movement (JWAM).
Dimple demanded unity among political parties of both Jammu as well as Kashmir.