“Let’s not jump and see if the centre was ready to remove mistrust existing on the ground in Jammu and Kashmir”, Farooq said while addressing the media first time after the all-party meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi.
“I tell you frankly there is level of mistrust and that mistrust has to be removed and how you (GoI) remove it, you have to decide. That is why Dr Karan Singh, if you see today’s newspaper, said that statehood must be brought forward,” he said, as per a local news agency, Global News Service (GNS).
Asked that he and other participants talked in individual party capacities and not as People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) and should that be construed as an end of the Gupkar alliance, Farooq said: “Why should there be end of the alliance?”
Omar interrupted and said: “we were not invited on the basis of alliance. Had it been so, only one would have been invited. There, the parties were invited. National Conference, PDP and CPI (M), who are members of Gupkar alliance, attended the meeting. In the meeting we didn’t say anything outside the agenda of the Gupkar Alliance.”
He further said: “We said that we don’t accept 5 August 2019 decisions. We have to peacefully, constitutionally, legally and politically do everything that it takes to undo it (5 August 2019) decision. Where does Gupkar alliance deviate from agenda? Nobody among us, Gupkar alliance members, said that we accept 5 August and move forward.”
On Article 370:
Regarding Article 370, Omar said no body except Azad and Muzaffar Hussain Being ‘unfortunately’ talked about ‘sub judice’ nature of it. “We said we will fight for it peacefully, constitutionally, legally and politically,” Omar said, adding, “I don’t believe that just it is before Supreme Court that we cannot talk about it. It is the subject of discussion. It was subject in DDC polls. We will continue to agitate matter. We will peacefully, constitutionally, legally and politically we will continue to exercise our right.”
Asked that until Article 370 is restored, will he not be contesting elections personally, he said, “I am not sitting personally here. I represent party. I have time and again answered this question that I have no intention of contesting elections for now and party decision is there at its own place.”
Asked if Beigh and Azad by talking sub-judice nature of Article 370 have weakened the stance of Gupkar alliance, Omar said, “neither of them is a member of Gupkar Alliance. Muzaffar Hussain sahib was the member and in fact, he openly told PM that he has no political allegiance and he doesn’t represent any party. Azad sahib belongs to Congress and that they have their own view. This view is not binding on use and Gupkar alliance.”
Omar further said, “Just because this matter is before Supreme Court or other matters are before (it), does it mean we stop talking about them. Babri Majid demolition was before Supreme Court and did BJP stop talking about it. They continue to push their agenda of Ram temple. Just because the matter is sub judice or before Supreme Court, it will not stop us from expressing our views and we will continue to do so.”(GNS).