In a joint statement released on Saturday, 22 August, major political parties in Kashmir – National Conference (JKNC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Congress and others – vowed to restore the special status granted to the erstwhile state.
In the statement, the parties while condemning the repealing of Article 370 of the Constitution by the central government said, “We are committed to strive for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, the Constitution of J&K and the restoration of the State and any division of the State is unacceptable to us.”
Terming the abrogation of Article 370 unconstitutional, the signatories reiterated that “the series of measures undertaken on 5 August 2019 were grossly unconstitutional and in reality measures of disempowerment and a challenge to the basic identity of the people of J&K.”
The leaders asserted that they are bound by the Gupkar Declaration of August 2019 that pledged to protect J&K’s quasi autonomy constitutional position.
Thanking the people of India, members of civil society and political parties which opposed the 5 August move to repeal J&K’s special status, the parties unanimously appealed to them or their unstinted support to the cause till the “unconstitutional measures of 5th August 2019 are undone and the special status of J&K restored.”
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