P Chidambaram welcomes political alliance, says Congress stands for restoration of Article 370
Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday welcomed the decision of political parties in Jammu and Kashmir to unitedly fight for the restoration of the region’s special status under Article 370 of the Constitution.
Chidambaram added that his party stood for the reinstatement of the rights of the Kashmiri people.
“The coming together of mainstream regional parties of J&K to fight a constitutional battle to restore the rights of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh is a development that must be welcomed by all the people of India,”
Chidambaram tweeted. “The Congress also resolutely stands for restoration of the status and rights of the people of J&K. The arbitrary and unconstitutional decisions of the Modi government of August 5, 2019 must be rescinded.”
Chidambaram added that the Centre must change its view of the political parties in Kashmir. “The central government must stop looking at the mainstream parties and the people of J&K as secessionist or anti-national.”
National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah had on Thursday announced an alliance with Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti, People’s Conference and other regional groups following a meeting of six Jammu and Kashmir-based parties to discuss the Gupkar Declaration at his residence in Srinagar. He had added that the alliance will strive for the restoration of the “Constitution (with regard to Jammu and Kashmir) as it existed on August 5, 2019.”
The announcement of the alliance came a day after Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah met Mufti at her residence in Srinagar, a day after she was released from a 14-month-long detention under the Public Safety Act.
The alliance also includes the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement and the Awami National Conference.