Was JKPCC’s staying away from the Gupkar meeting deliberate?
Babar Rather
Srinagar, Oct 17,: A day after staying away from Gupkar meet citing medical reasons, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee President Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Friday visited Bhallesa in Doda district to condole the death of his party colleague, Mohammad Sharif Niyaz.
The JKPCC president had stayed away from the Gupkar meeting on Thursday, called by NC president Farooq Abdullah with all signatories of Gupkar declaration.
JKPCC spokesman had said Mir was busy in hectic party meetings during the visit of Congress’ JK In-charge Rajni Patil and he was advised by doctors to undergo Covid tests and medical checkup.
However, a day later Mir accompanied by other Congress leaders reached Bhallesa in Doda district to condole the demise of former Congress MLA Sharif Niaz.
Political analysts have questioned the JKPCC president for skipping the Gupkar meeting held for chalking out a collective strategy for the restoration of special status.
Analysts believe that Mir’s staying away from Gupkar meeting was deliberate to avoid trouble for Congress in New Delhi, after the controversial statement was made by Farooq Abdullah, clubbing restoration of Article 370 with Chinese stance and its incursions in Eastern Ladakh.
Analysts say that the local unit of Congress also faced severe criticism from BJP in Jammu district as well, where its leaders including Raman Bhalla had said that Congress does not stand with Gupkar declaration which was signed on August 04 last year.
“Attending the meeting with Farooq Abdullah and other signatories of the Gupkar declaration would have severe consequences for Congress in Bihar elections as BJP had severely lashed out at Farooq Abdullah, forcing even him to backtrack from his statement,” analysts said.
Sources in Congress say that to avoid more trouble in Jammu and in New Delhi, Mir chose to stay away from the Thursday meeting on restoration of special status back to erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir.
“Mir’s skipping the meeting clearly indicates that Congress, as a party has distanced away from the alliance of six mainstream political parties formed on Thursday to fight for restoration of special status,” sources in Congress said.
