 Early Times Report
Srinagar , Jan 19: Er Aijaz Hussain, the newly elected DDC member from BJP, claimed vindication after the Sajad Lone-led JKPC quit the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration on Tuesday. He mentioned that his prediction after the DDC election result that PAGD would disintegrate soon had come true. According to the BJP youth wing vice president, Lone's step shall make the Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir very interesting.
Moreover, he urged Lone to openly speak about the opposition alliance's attempt to pursue their "inappropriate interests". On this occasion, Hussain clarified that his party had not set up the JKPC chief to break the Gupkar Alliance. Lone, who once described PM Modi as his older brother, served as a Minister in the PDP-BJP government in the state. However, he spent nearly a year in detention after the abrogation of Article 370 and is currently a critic of the BJP-led government at the Centre.
Earlier in the day, Sajad Lone addressed a letter to NC president Farooq Abdullah in which he claimed that the party fielding the candidate on behalf of the PAGD was left to fend for itself while other constituents compounded the problem by putting up proxy candidates. He opined that the votes polled against the PAGD in the recently concluded District Development Council polls are majorly the votes cast by "proxies" of PAGD constituent parties against the official candidates.
While acknowledging that every party had to cede space on the ground to fellow allies, he maintained that the breach of trust between parties is beyond redemption. At the same time, Lone clarified that his party will continue to adhere to the objectives of the PAGD alliance.
The Gupkar Declaration was a resolution passed by NC, PDP, Congress, CPI(M), JKPC and ANC on August 4, 2019, pledging to protect the "identity, autonomy and special status" of J&K. However, a presidential notification along with the passage of requisite legislation in both Houses of Parliament resulted in Article 370 becoming virtually redundant. Simultaneously, key leaders including Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, and Mehbooba Mufti were detained. When the Gupkar signatories met on October 15, 2020, after the release of Mehbooba Mufti, they declared the formation of the PAGD. Moreover, Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were chosen as the president and the vice president of this alliance respectively. |
