Srinagar: Former Chief Minister and National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah has convened a meeting of several mainstream parties on Wednesday to chalk out strategy on ‘retrieving’ special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Abdullah has sent out invitations to many mainstream party leaders asking them to attend a crucial meeting at his Gupkar residence tomorrow, news agency KNS reported. The agenda of the meeting, the report said was to deliberate over the prevailing political mess in J&K and to discuss future strategy about how to retrieve special status.
Quoting an unnamed mainstream leader, the report says that the meeting will be attended by leaders of Peoples Conference (PC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Congress, Awami National Conference (ANC), CPI (M), PDF and J&K Peoples Movement headed by former bureaucrat turned politician Dr Shah Faesal. The meeting is scheduled to start at 11am.
“Besides Dr Farooq Abdullah, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, MPs Justice (retd.) Hasnain Masoodi and Mohammad Akbar Lone, Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, Sajad Lone Muzaffar Shah, Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami and Dr Shah Faesal are likely to attend to meet”, he said.
However, authorities have deployed police and other paramilitary forces personnel in strength in and around the residences of political leaders ahead of first anniversary of abrogation of Article 370 & 35(A).
ANC senior vice-president Muzaffar Shah confirmed the restrictions around his residence.
“My gate has been shut by forces and police van has been deputed outside. I have been informed about two-days of house detention by cops”, he said.
When asked how scheduled meeting is possible amid restrictions by authorities he said, “Gupkar Declaration is alive and we will never compromise on it. We will fight democratically against decisions taken on August 5, 2019” Shah said.
As Modi led BJP Government on Wednesday is celebrating the first anniversary of abrogation of Article 370 and 35(A), authorities of J&K have imposed strict curfew across Srinagar district to avert any untoward law and order situation at the occasion.
Meanwhile from past few weeks, political parties across the divide have upped the ante for restoration of statehood. Few members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday addressed media and said party will protest on August 5 against the ‘unilateral’ decisions taken last year.
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