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People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration

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People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration
AbbreviationPAGD
ChairmanFarooq Abdullah
SpokespersonMohammed Yousuf Tarigami
Founder
Founded20 October 2020
HeadquartersSrinagar, Jammu and Kashmir
IdeologyRestoration of Article 370 and Article 35A[1][2]
Political positionBig tent
Alliance4 parties
Party flag
Website
https://twitter.com/JKPAGD

The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) is a political alliance between several political parties in Jammu and Kashmir campaigning for autonomy for the region by restoring special status along with Article 35A of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.[2][1] Farooq Abdullah is president and Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami is the convener and spokesperson of the pact.[3][4]

Background

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Main article: Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir

On 5 August 2019, the Parliament of India revoked Article 370 of the Constitution of India, the temporary special status of Jammu and Kashmir, thereby ending the limited autonomy the state enjoyed in affairs other than foreign affairs, defence and communication, etc. Further, the state was re-organised and evolved into two new union territories, Jammu and Kashmir in the west and Ladakh in the east.

The BJP-led Government of India had placed major political leaders of the state including former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti under house arrest, and suspended internet services across the state.[5][6]

Member parties

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Party Flag Abbr. Leader
Jammu & Kashmir National Conference JKNC Farooq Abdullah
Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party JKPDP Mehbooba Mufti
Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI(M) Collective leadership
Jammu and Kashmir Awami National Conference JKANC Begum Khalida Shah

Former members

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Gupkar declarations

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First declaration

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On 4 August 2019, the following leaders met at Gupkar Residence:[9][10]

The first Gupkar Declaration was unanimously passed by all present as a baseline:[9][10]

It was unanimously resolved:

1. That all the parties would be united in their resolve to protect and defend the identity, autonomy and special status of J&K against all attacks and onslaughts whatsoever.

2. That modification, abrogation of Articles 35A, 370, unconstitutional delimitation or trifurcation of the State would be an aggression against the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

3. That the parties participating in the meeting resolved to seek audience with the President and Prime Minister of India and the leaders of other political parties to apprise them of the current situation and make an appeal to them to safeguard the legitimate interests of the people of the State with regard to the guarantees given to the State by the Constitution of our country.

Second declaration

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The second Gupkar Declaration, was signed on 22 August 2020 by seven political parties, including National Conference, People's Democratic Party, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference, Awami National Conference, Indian National Congress and Jammu & Kashmir People's Movement. The signatories once again asserted that they were bound by the status quo of 4 August 2019. The Gupkar declaration and parties would strive for the restoration of Article 370 and Article 35A.

On 17 November 2020, the Indian National Congress denied their involvement with the PAGD. Their Jammu and Kashmir leadership claimed that they may pursue a state-level electoral alliance but denied that they are signatories of the proclamations. The Congress Party also condemned Mehbooba Mufti's comments on abandoning the Indian Tricolour as well as Farooq Abdullah's statements asking for foreign interference into India's internal matters.[11]

Later developments

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On 19 January 2021, the Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference announced that it was pulling out of the alliance, citing differences with the member parties.[7] On 4 July 2022, Jammu & Kashmir People's Movement left the alliance citing lack of a clear roadmap.[8]

In 2023 the alliance members joined the newly formed Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance which is led by Indian National Congress on the national level to contest the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha election together.[12] But the alliance partners failed to reach a seat sharing agreement before the elections and ended up contesting separately within the state.[13]

After the national election the alliance members once again failed to reach a seat sharing agreement before the state legislative election held in 2024,[14] ten years after the last state election and again contested the elections separately,[15] which effectively ended the alliance as an electoral or political force within the state.[16]

Symbols

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The alliance uses the flag of the former State of Jammu and Kashmir as an official symbol.[17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Gupkar Declaration: 6 Kashmir parties join hands to forge People's Alliance". Hindustan Times. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Here's What the Gupkar Declaration 2.0 Aims to Achieve in J&K". TheQuint. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  3. ^ Masood, Bashaarat (21 November 2020). "PAGD candidates not allowed to canvass, confined to 'secure locations': Farooq writes to J&K poll panel". Indian Express. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  4. ^ "Our doors open for everyone, will use every opportunity to fight for people's rights: PAGD". The Kashmir Walla. 9 June 2021. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ Gettleman, Jeffrey; Raj, Suhasini; Schultz, Kai; Kumar, Hari (5 August 2019). "India Revokes Kashmir's Special Status, Raising Fears of Unrest". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  6. ^ "Article 370: What happened with Kashmir and why it matters". BBC News. 6 August 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Sajad Lone's Peoples Conference pulls out of Gupkar alliance". The Hindu. 19 January 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  8. ^ a b "J&K Peoples' Movement quits PAGD, says 'Alliance lacks roadmap'". Rising Kashmir. 4 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Gupkar Declaration August 4, 2019". Frontline. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  10. ^ a b "After all-party meeting, Gupkar declaration issued". Kashmir Life. 4 August 2019. Archived from the original on 4 August 2019.
  11. ^ Manoj C. G (18 November 2020). "With Gupkar alliance and out of it: how Congress pushed to wall". The Indian Express.
  12. ^ ""Only Mehbooba Mufti can answer...": Omar Abdullah on Gupkar alliance crumbling, PDP fighting against NC-Congress alliance". ANI News. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  13. ^ Majid, Zulfikar. "Lok Sabha elections 2024 | NC, PDP contest separately: Strain within PAGD, but alliance not over yet?". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  14. ^ Yattoo, Irfan (28 September 2024). "Mehbooba accuses BJP of fracturing PDP, claims NC betrayed PAGD". Rising Kashmir. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  15. ^ Majid, Zulfikar. "I.N.D.I.A in J&K breaks as Omar Abdullah openly targets PDP". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  16. ^ PTI. "I.N.D.I.A. bloc partners NC, PDP to take on each other in Kashmir; Mehbooba, Omar trade blame". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  17. ^ "Gupkar alliance adopts J&K flag as symbol, Farooq says it's 'anti-BJP, not anti-national'". 24 October 2020.

External

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