Farooq Abdullah announces alliance with Mehbooba Mufti, others for Article 370 restoration
In August last year, the Centre scrapped Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union territories.
National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah on Thursday announced an alliance with People's Democratic Party of Mehbooba Mufti, Sajjad Lone and other regional groups to fight for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special status which the Modi government had scrapped in August 2019.
"We have named this alliance as People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration. Our battle is a constitutional battle, we want the government of India to return to the people of the State the rights they held before 5th August 2019," news agency ANI quoted Farooq Abdullah as saying.
Farooq Abdullah had convened the meeting at his home to chalk out the future course of action on Gupkar Declaration.
Gupkar Declaration is a resolution issued after an all-party meeting on August 4, 2019 at the Gupkar residence of the NC chief. The resolution at the end of the meet on August 4, 2019, a day before the Centre announced its decision of revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status and split it into two Union territories, said the parties unanimously resolved that they would be united in their effort to protect and defend the identity, autonomy and special status of Jammu and Kashmir against all attacks and onslaughts.
The parties had met again in August this year and vowed to fight for the restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
In August last year, the Centre scrapped Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union territories.
Today's meeting comes a couple of days after Mehbooba Mufti was released from detention. On Wednesday, Farooq and his son Omar met Mehbooba Mufti at her residence in Srinagar.