Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): In a significant move, the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Saturday announced its decision to participate in the upcoming District Development Council (DDC) elections unitedly in Jammu and Kashmir.
Following its maiden meeting in Jammu, PAGD spokesperson Sajad Gani Lone announced that the leadership has decided to contest the upcoming polls in Jammu and Kashmir unitedly.
He further said that all the modalities and new administrative rules will be looked into and the alliance president Dr Farooq Abdullah will declare the names of contestants on his own.
"Despite the abruptness of the DDC elections in terms of timing it is important that this sacred space in a democracy is not allowed to be invaded and marauded by divisive forces," Lone said.
Interestingly, Congress too has decided to take part in the upcoming elections to "stop communal forces."
"BJP is trying to finish our identity and people from all sections are annoyed. People should come forward and take part in the elections and take account of the wrong policies of the BJP through their vote," Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Ghulam Ahmad Mir said.
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"We will try our best to stop communal forces and we hope that the people understand the situation," he added.
The PAGD was formed on October 15, 2019, by six major political parties of Jammu and Kashmir. However, the Congress despite being one of the 'Gupkar declaration' signatories skipped the October 15 meeting.
Prior to the stripping of J&K's special status on August 5 last year, the leaders had met at the Gupkar residence of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah in Srinagar and drafted the declaration.
JKNPP patron removed from all party posts
In another major development of the day, J&K National Panthers Party's patron Bhim Singh was removed from all the party posts following his meeting with the PAGD leaders in Jammu.
"Party has decided to remove Bhim Singh from the post of JKNPP's patron as he had gone to meet PAGD. In future, he will have no right in decision making of the party," J&K Panther's Party Chairman, Harsh Dev Singh said.
He said that the party will fight for the rights of the Jammu region.
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"Party leaders will sit together and decide the future course of action. We stand for India and don't support any anti-India agenda. It is the nationalist, secular and democratic party which takes along all people alone in Jammu region from all religious communities," he said, adding, "We have no place in a party for those who support an anti-national agenda."
While questioning PAGD meet in Jammu, he said, "Whether PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and Dr Farooq Abdullah have answers for Jammu Muslims? Why Jammu Muslims were being discriminated against? No one speaks for them. They have not got any justice. Why are these parties silent on their plight?"
On the future of the JKNPP, he said, "We will give a new shape to the party for taking up the fight of the people of Jammu region."
Earlier in the day, JKNPP's patron Bhim Singh had met PAGD leaders at Bathindi residence of Dr Farooq Abdullah.
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