News Analysis India

Tag: Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami

  • Dil ki doori wider since PM Modi’s all-party meet on June 24: Gupkar

    Express News Service

    SRI NAGAR: The Gupkar Alliance of six J&K parties said the dil ki doori and disillusionment have only increased in Jammu and Kashmir after the June 24 All Party Meeting (APM) convened and chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

    “We were there to bridge the gap between New Delhi and Srinagar, the dil ki doori as mentioned by the PM. We had called for confidence-building measures like the release of political prisoners, creating an environment for political activities, removing restrictions on political workers and other sections of the public, including the media,” the spokesperson of the alliance Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami told this newspaper.

    He said the APM has failed to live up to the expectations it generated.He pointed out that the Centre has not announced any confidence-building measures in the two months since the meeting and there have been no follow-up meetings or forward movement.

    According to Tarigami, the lack of progress has added to the despair of the J&K residents and increased the Dil Ki Doori between J&K and New Delhi.

    “The disillusionment, hopelessness, and disappointments have increased and are on a higher side (now),” he said. 

    On the government’s claim that everything is normal and there is peace in J&K, he said, “They try to give the impression that everything is calm and normal.”

    He, however, said silence should not be construed as peace. 

  • Gupkar resolution urges Modi government to restore Article 370

    Express News Service

    SRINAGAR:  The Gupkar Alliance on Tuesday passed resolution, demanding the restoration of Article 370.

    The joint declaration said the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A has created a big political void and deep uncertainty in J&K, and asserted nothing substantial has emerged after PM Modi’s Dilli ki Doori and Dil ki Doori slogan during the all-party meeting in June.

    The top leadership and second rung leaders and workers of the six-party alliance met at Farooq Abdullah’s Gupkar residence in Srinagar for the first time after formation of the grouping in October 2020.

    Over 100 party workers and second rung leaders of Gupkar Alliance constituent parties attended the meeting during which PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Farooq Abdullah and Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami reiterated their commitment to fighting for the abrogated articles’ restoration.

    They also said that “It is most unfortunate that judicial challenges against abrogation of Article 370 continue to remain pending before Supreme Court even after two years”. 

    “The suppression of civil liberties and democratic rights continues unabated.  

    Attack on democratic rights under draconian laws like UAPA/PSA continues as hundreds of people remain under detention without even charges being framed.

    New orders are being passed like non-clearance for passports and government services to anyone involved in ‘law and order’ or ‘stone pelting cases’.  

    This negates the principle of natural justice by equating a police report with being guilty and being denied all these services,” the joint resolution of the alliance read.

  • Day after meeting PM Modi on Jammu & Kashmir, parties push for statehood before elections

    Express News Service
    SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI: A day after the Centre unveiled its roadmap for the resumption of the democratic process in J&K, leaders of several parties said restoration of statehood must precede Assembly elections, while PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti claimed she would not enter the fray till special status under Article 370 is restored, though her party would.

    Explaining her rationale, Mehbooba said, “Otherwise they will say I am doing it for political gains. If PDP wins the polls, I will not be chief minister.” However, she said that her party would contest the polls as it cannot leave any democratic space otherwise it will be taken away by other forces.

    Mehbooba is the third J&K leader to decide not to contest polls. NC vice-president Omar Abdullah and another party leader Aga Ruhullah have already made their entering the fray conditional to the restoration of full statehood.

    ALSO READ| PM’s meeting with J-K leaders ‘positive’ step; Centre must restore statehood before assembly polls: Karan Singh

    Senior National Conference leader and Gupkar Alliance coordinator Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi said holding of polls while J&K remains a Union Territory is not acceptable. “In Assam, they kept on hold the delimitation process and held Assembly elections while here they say delimitation will precede elections (while it remains a UT),” he pointed out.

    Another NC leader Imran Nabi Dar said the party’s position is clear: grant of statehood should be the first confidence building measure of the Centre.

    Articulating the stand of the Congress, senior party leader P Chidambaram said: “Congress and other J&K parties and leaders want statehood first and elections afterwards. Government’s response is elections first and statehood later. The horse pulls the cart. A state must conduct elections. Only such elections will be free and fair. Why does the government want the cart in front and the horse behind? It is bizarre.”

    ALSO READ| Delimitation, holding of polls in J-K important milestones in restoring statehood: Amit Shah

    Senior CPM leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, who is also spokesperson of the Gupkar Alliance, told this newspaper that they had not attended the all-party meet in Delhi for holding elections. “None of us had gone there to demand elections,Tarigami said.

    Union home minister Amit Shah had on Thursday told the all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that while the Centre is committed to restoring statehood, it will happen after the delimitation process and the Assembly elections are over. “We did not get answers to our concerns. The PM did not offer anything concrete in terms of assurances,” Tarigami said.

    Different strokes

    CentreStatehood to J&K to follow delimitation exercise and Assembly elections

    National ConferenceWants restoration of statehood before J&K goes to polls

    PDPState polls after restoration of special status under Article 370

  • Never said about restoration of Article 370: Gupkar leader tones down on earlier promise

    Express News Service
    SRINAGAR: Three months after the formation of People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) to fight for restoration of J&K’s special status, the convener of the seven-party alliance, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, on Thursday stated that the alliance never said it would get back Article 370.

    He also ruled out launching any big agitation. Talking to this newspaper, Tarigami said they are planning to meet national leaders.

    “We will also be holding a convention. We will visit different parts of Jammu region and talk to people because this (revoking of J&K’s special status and bifurcation of erstwhile state) is not a concern of an individual or only of Kashmir’s population, but all of J&K.”

    When asked whether the PAGD, which was formed in October last year to fight for Article 370 restoration, has any road map, he said, “Road map is not a fixed agenda.But we have got a fixed agenda and that is the restoration of constitutional position of the erstwhile J&K state.”

    He, however, asserted that they never said they will get it (Article 370) back.

    “Which Gupkar Alliance leader has said they will bring it back. We said we will struggle and raise our voices. What else can we do?”

    On whether peaceful agitation will be part of their struggle for Article 370 restoration, Tarigami said, “I can’t say anything on it. We have not sat together to discuss this point. When we meet, we will discuss every option. We will do whatever is required peacefully within norms of the law.”

    Taking a dig at PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, he said, “They had promised in Parliament that statehood of J&K would be restored, why are they not restoring it. The BJP is also demanding it. Why don’t they restore the statehood.”