MoS Kishan Reddy rules out restoration of Article 370; slams Congress, NC & PDP

On Sunday, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said that the Congress, National Conference (NC), and People's Democratic Party (PDP) have declared that they will restore Article 370 and revoke the status of UT for Ladakh.

The Indian government revoked Article 370 that gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, on August 5, 2019. Now, a year later, three former chief ministers of the erstwhile state - Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, along with other leaders have come together and signed an alliance and demanded the restoration of Article 370.

Speaking at a public rally, he appealed to the public to boycott Congress as the latter is speaking the same language as China and Pakistan

"Congress has declared that they will restore Article 370 for Jammu and Kashmir and revoke the status of UT for Ladakh. I want to appeal to the public to boycott Congress as it is speaking the same language as China and Pakistan. Farooq Abdullah also said that NC, PDP and Congress will restore Article 370 with the support of China and take back the status of Union Territory from Ladakh. Do you want UT status or Article 370?" he said.

Furthermore, he listed the development works done and proposed in Ladakh and mentioned the budgetary provisions made for them.

 "Ladakh was always neglected for years together. The people here had a demand for making Ladakh as a union territory (UT) for the last 70 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took steps in this direction in 2019 and made Ladakh a UT," he said.

READ: Congress and CPM welcome 'Gupkar Declaration', demand restoration of Art 370 & 35 A

Gupkar alliance

After the release of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti after 14 months of detention, mainstream Kashmiri politicians who had signed the Gupkar Declaration on August 4, 2019, met at NC chief Farooq Abdullah's residence on Thursday. Signing the new Gupkar alliance, NC president Farooq Abdullah affirmed that the Centre must restore the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.  

The Gupkar Declaration was a resolution passed by NC, PDP, Congress, CPI(M), JKPC and ANC on August 4, 2019, pledging to protect the "identity, autonomy and special status" of J&K. Flanked by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and his son Omar, Abdullah announced the alliance's name has been changed to 'People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration'. 

Abdullah demanded the immediate release of all political detainees from J&K and called for a peaceful dialogue with all stakeholders at the earliest. On this occasion, all original Gupkar Declaration signatories barring for J&K Congress chief GA Mir were in attendance at Farooq Abdullah's residence in Srinagar. "Our battle is a Constitutional battle. We want the government of India to return to the people of this state the rights they held before August 5, 2019," said Abdullah.

READ: BJP's Ram Madhav rules out Article 370's return, terms J&K's Gupkar alliance as 'facade'

(with inputs from ANI)