Farooq Abdullah’s speech sparks differences in ‘Gupkar Declaration’ signatories

SRINAGAR: Differences have cropped up in signatories to the August 22 “Gupkar Declaration” vowing restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. Peoples Conference,  one of the signatories, has slamming National Conference president and sitting MP Farooq Abdullah for giving ‘silent burial’ to the declaration by not taking up the Article 370 revocation in his speech in the Lok Sabha.

“It is astonishing to see Abdullah give a complete miss to revocation of Article 370.  Though he spoke about dialogue with Pakistan and internet ban but didn’t utter a single word about Article 370 and the declaration,” senior vice president of Peoples Conference and former minister Abdul Gani Vakil said.

He was referring to Abdullah’s speech on Saturday in which he talked about problems faced by people, especially students and traders due to blocking of 4G internet in J&K. “He gave a silent burial to the core issue in the parliament. This questions the sole purpose of the declaration,” he said. It was Abdullah’s first speech in Lok Sabha after Article 370 revocation on August 5 last year and his detention.

On August 22, six political parties of J&K including National Conference, PDP, Peoples Conference, Congress, CPI(M) and ANC signed “Gupkar Declaration-II” and vowed to fight collectively against revocation of J&K’s special status.