People's Alliance For Gupkar Declaration

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. Farooq Abdullah is president and Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami is the convener and spokesperson of the pact.

Background

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.

Member parties

Former members

* Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference (JKPC) (2020-21)
* Jammu & Kashmir People's Movement (JKPM) (2020-22)

Gupkar declarations

First declaration

On 4 August 2019, the following leaders met at ''Gupkar Residence'':

The first Gupkar Declaration was unanimously passed by all present as a baseline:

Second declaration

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.

Later developments

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. On 4 July 2022, Jammu & Kashmir People's Movement left the alliance citing lack of a clear roadmap.

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. But the alliance partners failed to reach a seat sharing agreement before the elections and ended up contesting separately within the state.

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

Symbols

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

See also

* Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance
* All Jammu and Kashmir Plebiscite Front

References

{{Reflist

External

Official Twitter feed

Srinagar
Organisations based in Jammu and Kashmir
Politics of Jammu and Kashmir
2019 establishments in Jammu and Kashmir
Political parties established in 2019
Political party alliances in India