Anantnag, Jun 22 (UNI) Former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said that restoration of pre August 5, 2019 position to Jammu and Kashmir will be the main demand at All Party Meeting (APM) called in New Delhi on June 24 which will be presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Talking to reporters after paying floral tributes at the graveyard of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at Bijbehra in this south Kashmir on Tuesday afternoon, she said late PDP founder was always in favour of dialogue to resolve any issue. We were not against talks called by our Prime Minister, she said.
Mehbooba, who is also Vice Chairperson of the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an alliance of five mainstream political parties seeking restoration of special status, said 'we are demanding what has been snatched from the people of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh unconstitutionally on August 5.'
In reply to a question Mehbooba, who headed a coalition government with BJP for about two years—2016 to 2018-- before the saffron party snatched the ties, said there is no agenda for the APM. We were not told about any agenda, she said, adding however 'we are clear in our agenda to seek restoration of what has been snatched from us.'
She said during the past two years, people of Jammu and Kashmir suffered the most as anyone who was raising the voice against injustice was being detained and booked under different laws. Even journalists were not spared for writing truth, she alleged.
About the PAGD meeting earlier, Mehbooba said she was in favour of seeking immediate release of political and other detenues from jails. At least I wanted that prisoners who are facing serious charges and cannot be released should be at least shifted back to Kashmir jails so that their relatives could meet them who otherwise are facing financial and other problem to travel to these jails.
UNI BAS SV 1903