Article 35A ‘abrogation’: Shah Faesal, Rashid seek all-party meet

The joint forum, formed by the bureaucrat-turned-politician Shah Faesal’s Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement and Engineer Rashid’s Awani Ittihad, has said it is ready to “erase its identity and existence” if all the political parties join hands.

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Bureaucrat-turned-politician Shah Faesal.

Reiterating its call for an all-party meet to formulate a joint strategy against the alleged attack on the special constitutional position of Jammu and Kashmir, the Peoples’ United Front (PUF) has launched a signature campaign to “tell the world what the people of Jammu and Kashmir want”.

The joint forum, formed by the bureaucrat-turned-politician Shah Faesal’s Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement and Engineer Rashid’s Awani Ittihad, has said it is ready to “erase its identity and existence” if all the political parties join hands.

Read | Decision on 35A will keep J&K interest in mind: Ram Madhav

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“We appeal to New Delhi, please don’t try to play with fire. Any fiddling that will change the demography here would be unacceptable,” Rashid said at a press meet in Srinagar on Wednesday. “By challenging this issue, you are challenging the wisdom of your forefathers, you are challenging the wisdom of those who have given you the Constitution.”

Read | J&K parties look at joint plan to defend Article 35A

Rashid said said they have also approached the National Conference and PDP.

“We have been in contact with the NC leadership. We told them that their party has the largest representation in Parliament and that they must convene an all-party meet,” the former legislator said. “Farooq sahib agreed. But after that, Omar sahib said let’s wait for the response from PM…”

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Rashid said they had also met PDP president Mehbooba Mufti. “She said her doors are always open,” he said.

Bashaarat Masood

Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. ... Read More

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