Effort to unite opposition suffers blow after Farooq's inability to attend meeting [details]

The effort of the leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami to bring all opposition leaders on a single platform received a severe setback as the National Conference president and former Chief Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah expressed his "inability" to attend the scheduled meeting on August 7.

"National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah expressed his inability to attend the meeting scheduled for August 7 in Jammu and suggested its postponement. As such, this meeting is postponed," Tarigami said.

No fresh date for the meeting, originally scheduled for August 7, has been finalized.

Although M Y Tarigami has not given a reason for Dr. Abdullah's non-availability at the meeting, this development raised many eyebrows because the CPI (M) leader had not decided on the meeting date without obtaining consent from the National Conference leadership.

Although the National Conference leadership has maintained a guarded silence over this development, it is widely believed that the party has decided not to become part of any opposition bloc at the J&K level.

Tarigami takes the initiative to unity opposition

It was CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami who took the initiative and called all opposition leaders to discuss the prevailing political situation in J&K, especially the delegation of more powers to the Lt Governor, which they believe dilutes the authority of the Chief Minister and the J&K Legislative Assembly.

It was announced on Friday that the meeting would discuss this issue in detail and devise a joint strategy on August 7 in Jammu.

"The meeting will address amendments to the Transaction of Business of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Rules 2019. These amendments grant more powers to the Lt Governor regarding decisions on police matters, postings of All India Services officers, including IAS and IPS, and sanctioning prosecutions in various cases," Tarigami has explained.

Tarigami mentioned that he had discussed this matter with National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, JKPCC president Vikar Rasool Wani, and other top leaders like Altaf Bukhari from Apni Party, Sajjad Gani Lone from People's Conference, and Hakeem Mohammad Yasin from Peoples' Democratic Front (PDF).

"Setting aside Article 370 for a moment, this decision has shocked every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir. What is the purpose of granting statehood if the powers of MLAs, Ministers, and the Chief Minister are taken away? This decision humiliates the people of J&K and their elected representatives. All non-BJP parties must unite and prepare for a long and decisive struggle to reclaim our rights," Tarigami asserted.

Earlier, the Gupkar Alliance was formed to protect the special status of J&K

Earlier, with much publicity, the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), popularly known as Gupkar Alliance, was formed in 2019 by six political parties with the pledge of perseverance and steadfastness toward the restoration of Article 370. This resolution was written in the Alliance's declaration, where the political parties stated there would be "nothing about us without us," meaning they would stick together come what may.

"We want to assure people that all our political activities will be subservient to the sacred goal of reverting to the status of J&K as it existed before August 2019," read PAGD's declaration.

Within a couple of months after its formation, PAGD received a severe jolt when Sajad Lone of the Peoples' Conference, left the alliance. Lone charged both NC and PDP with fielding proxy candidates against the officially mandated candidates of the alliance during the District Development Councils (DDCs) elections. He called these actions "a breach of trust".