The concerned group of citizens (CGC) led by former Union Minister Yashwant Sinha continued their interactions with people in Kashmir.
On Saturday evening, the group had a meeting with ANC President Begum Khalida Shah, its Vice-President Muzzafar Shah and National Conference leader Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal. The team besides Sinha, comprising Retd Air Vice Marshal Kapil Kak and Sushoba Bharve were briefed by Khalida Shah and other leaders about the ground situation which has emerged after abrogation of J&K special status under Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories on August 5.
A spokesperson of the ANC said, the leaders briefed the visiting delegation about the unilateral decision taken by the government of India “which was unacceptable to the overwhelming majority of people in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.”
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir will settle for nothing short of the reversal of the revocation of Article 370 to its original form and a settlement of the vexed Kashmir Issue. Enough is enough and war was no answer to this problem where nobody is the winner. The leadership of Jammu and Kashmir are united and will be working as one, irrespective of individual considerations as was exhibited on 4th August 2019 by the Gupkar Declaration,” the ANC leaders told the visiting delegation.
They also stressed upon the urgency of restoring of fundamental rights of the people of Kashmir and immediate release of former Chief Ministers, MLA’s, trade unionists, Bar Association members, business leaders and others lodged under precarious conditions in and outside jails of Jammu and Kashmir.
The spokesperson also said a detailed discussion was held on 19-page document released by Khalida Shah “establishing that Governor, Govt of India, the Parliament, nor the President of India can amend, repeal or abrogate Article 370 nor can the Jammu and Kashmir be dismembered into Union Territories.”
“The Prime Minister, Home Minister and MoS in PMO were misleading and misrepresenting facts on the historic events of J&K and its relationship with the Union of India under Article 370 made on the floor of Parliament during discussion on the Bill for Abrogation of Article 370 on 5th August 2019. The visiting team informed the detained leaders that this document is highly appreciated and is forwarded to all the petitioners and their legal teams challenging abrogation of Article 370 for use before the Supreme Court for the hearing on 10th December 2019,” he said.
The NC Addl General Secretary Dr Mustafa Kamal stressed upon Yeshwant Sinha to leave no stone unturned for “rescuing lakhs of students in Kashmir whose future has been put at stake by Modi Government after switching off all internet and online facilities that are the prerequisites for modern education.”
“What is the logic of spending around 300 crores per day on the upkeep of more than eight lakh security forces in Kashmir for countering not more than 200 alleged militants? If everything was normal in Kashmir and the people were happy, such expenditures are uncalled for when the country was facing one of its worst economic crisis in decades,” Kamal told Sinha. (KNS)