Farooq Abdullah is not known to mince words, though he switched off for a long 바카라śpolitical silence바카라ť since his anguished 바카라śI am free today, but this freedom isn바카라™t complete바카라ť comment after being released from detention in the first fortnight of March. The former CM and National Conference president is back in business바카라”at least that바카라™s what it seems when he affirmed his support to the Gupkar declaration, although Omar Abdullah is yet to react to his father바카라™s initiative.
This August 22, he and several prominent leaders of Jammu and Kashmir signed a joint statement that described abrogation of Article 370 as 바카라śunconstitutional바카라ť and sought its restoration. This is a reaffirmation of the Gupkar declaration, signed on August 4 last year, which says all major parties would be united in protecting the identity, autonomy, and special status of J&K. A day later, the BJP-led Union government revoked Article 370, arrested around 8,000 people, including three former chief ministers, clamped a communication blockade, and put J&K under an unprecedented lockdown. Some of the leaders, including the 82-year-old senior Abdullah, were released later but bound by a bond that they won바카라™t make political remarks. Abdullah adhered to the gag until last weekend바카라”a move that experts believe is more tactical than emotional.
He signed the joint statement with PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, Congress바카라™s state J&K unit chief G.A. Mir, CPI(M) secretary M.Y. Taragami, Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone, and Jammu and Kashmir Awami National Conference president Muzaffar Shah. Abdullah has been in touch with several leaders such as former CM Mufti, who is still under detention. 바카라śI am in touch with Mehbooba Mufti,바카라ť Abdullah says. He is repeatedly naming the Congress, Shiv Sena et al to bolster his remarks that most Indian parties support the Kashmiris vis-Ă -vis the abrogation of Article 370. In fact, former Union minister Yashwant Sinha, tweeted in support of the latest joint statement, while Congress바카라™s P. Chidambaram saluted 바카라śthe unity and courage of six mainstream Opposition parties who came together to fight the repeal of Article 370.바카라ťÂ The only person missing in action is Omar Abdullah.
The joint declaration has attracted mixed reactions. 바카라śI think it is full of sound and fury signifying nothing,바카라ť says writer Riyaz Wani, who argues that no party is in a position to launch a mass movement when 바카라śeven local governance is indefinitely subservient to the lieutenant governor바카라ť. Ajaz Ashraf Wani, professor of political science, University of Kashmir, calls the joint statement significant. 바카라śIt is for the first time you see major regional parties coming together to confront New Delhi.바카라ť For its part, the BJP has been taken aback. Ravinder Raina, the party바카라™s J&K president, has asked the parties to stop dreaming.
By Naseer Ganai in Srinagar
