Srinagar: Political hullabaloo is prepping up in Kashmir as signatories of ‘Gupkar declaration’ are planning to meet tomorrow.
Former J&K CM, Mehbooba Mufti’s release late last night has triggered some movement in the political circles in Kashmir.
Day after she was released from a 14-month-long detention, Mehbooba met several party members at her Gupkar residence on Wednesday.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, and vice-president Omar Abdullah also visited her.
Soon after Omar tweeted announcing that the Gupkar delegation signatories including Mehbooba Mufti will meet on Thursday.
“My father & I called on @MehboobaMufti Sahiba this afternoon to enquire 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,” he tweeted.
The Gupkar Road of Srinagar is the most high-profile residential locality in the Kashmir Valley. It houses top politicians including the Abdullahs and Muftis.
It was here on August 4 last year — a day before the Modi government revoked Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir — all major political parties met at Farooq Abdullah’s sprawling residence.
They vowed to protect the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in what is known as the “Gupkar Declaration”. Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP was also a signatory to this declaration.
The political parties met again in August this year — six in number — reiterating their commitment to take forward the Gupkar Declaration.
A joint statement was issued saying, “We all reiterate that we are bound, wholly, by the contents of the Gupkar Declaration and will unwaveringly adhere to it. We are committed to strive for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, the Constitution of J&K and the restoration of the State and any division of the State is unacceptable to us.”
The statement was issued jointly in the name of Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti — who was still under detention — the Congress’s GA Mir, the CPI (M)’s MY Tarigami, the Peoples Conference’s Sajad Gani Lone and the Awami National Conference’s Muzaffar Shah.
