Abdullah invites politicians for meeting, one year since Article 370 abrogation

Amid continuing political uncertainty, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah has invited leaders of political parties for a meeting on August 5, one year since the abrogation of former state’s special status under Article 370.

The meeting has been scheduled at posh Gupkar residence of Abdullah, where last year on August 4 ‘Gupkar declaration’ was forged collectively by all the J&K parties vowing to protect the special status of the erstwhile state. Immediately after signing the ‘Gupkar declaration’ most of the leaders were either taken to custody or placed under home detention.

Sources privy to the developments told DH that the meeting is scheduled to start at 11 am and invitations for the same have been sent to leaders of National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Congress, CPI (M) and other smaller parties.

Besides NC president Farooq Abdullah, his son and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, NC MPs Hasnain Masoodi and Mohammad Akbar Lone, J&K Congress President G A Mir, PC chief Sajad Lone CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami are likely to attend to meet, they said.

A leader who received the invite said the aim of the meeting is to deliberate over the prevailing political mess across J&K since August 5, 2019. “During the meet the future strategy about how to retrieve special status of J&K is on the agenda. As most of the leadership remained under detention since last August, no deliberations could take place over this important issue,” he said.

However, authorities have deployed police and other paramilitary forces personnel in strength in and around the residences of political leaders ahead of the first anniversary of abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two UTs.

A senior official said that they have directions not to allow any politician to move out of his residences for some more time. “The meeting won’t be allowed to happen as there is apprehension of law and order problems on Wednesday. As precautionary restrictions have been imposed across the Valley to prevent any violence,” he added.