We’re Not Running Away From Gupkar Declaration, It Remains Core Issue: Farooq

Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said his party stands by Gupkar declarations and was not running away from it.

Addressing reporters after meeting four senior leaders party at his residence, Farooq said that people in Jammu and Kashmir are in “most miserable condition.”

“People are in most miserable condition. There is hardly anything to say. Businesses are all zero. Tourism is zero. There is suffering everywhere. On top of it there is coronovirus which is taking toll on people,” Farooq, the incumbent member parliament from Srinagar, said as per GNS correspondent.

Responding to question on Article 370 and Article 35A, revoked by the centre last year, the former 3-tme chief minister of J&K said: “We will have discussion between party people. We will then tell you what the party position is and what we intent to do. The basic aim of today’s meeting was whether people could come out of their homes after 12 months and hopefully this is not just one time.”

He added: “Unless we meet all party leaders and after that we will openly discuss everything with you. We will have all party meeting on Gupkar declaration (,which call for safeguarding special status). We are not running away from it, That is our core issue”.

Earlier Farooq held a meeting with party general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, Provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani, Abdul Rahim rather, Muhammad Shafi Uri.

“We hope it is not going to be once. And I hope they are going to be free and not just for a meeting with Farooq Abdullah,” he added.

He said that press was no free in Jammu and Kashmir. “I know press is not free and I know fully free,” he said.

Party’s Members of Parliament Muhammad Akbar lone, Hasnain Masoodi, party Treasurer Shammi Oberoi, Political advisor to Dr Farooq Abdullah Mushtaq Guroo were also present.

“It is pertinent to mention here that the leaders who met with the party president at his residence have been confined to in-house and out-house detention centers post since august last year,” NC said in a statement issued here.

“The meeting was called by the party president following his cognizance of the stand taken by the government in honorable high court in the Habeas corpus mattes filled by the president and the vice president of the party for securing the liberty of various leaders of the party who have been under illegal detention since august last year. Being mindful of the Covid19 protocol and government advisories, the party president had chosen to call all the incarcerated leaders in batches of four to meet him at his residence”.

As part of the programme, NC said five other party leaders including Mubarak Gul, Choudhary Mohammad Ramzaan, Shameema Firdous, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and Basharat Bukahari “who have been under incarceration since August last year” have been called by party president at his residence on Friday. (GNS)