Mehbooba Mufti Declines Invite For Farooq Abdullah's Delhi Protest

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has declined National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah's invitation to join a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood. Mufti said her party would participate only if the demand for restoring Article 370 and releasing political prisoners is included as part of the protest agenda.

In a strongly worded two-page letter addressed to Farooq Abdullah, Mufti argued that focusing only on statehood would weaken the broader political and constitutional issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir. She said a protest limited to statehood could be seen as accepting the changes made on August 5, 2019, when the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 was revoked and the former state was reorganised into two Union Territories.

Mufti stated that the PDP's position remains centred on what it describes as the restoration of constitutional rights. She said joining a movement restricted to statehood alone would not represent the larger concerns of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. According to her, the demand must include Article 370 and the release of political prisoners to reflect the issues her party considers fundamental.

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The National Conference has invited leaders from the INDIA bloc and other political parties to participate in the July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar. However, besides the PDP, other regional parties including the Peoples Conference and Apni Party have also decided not to join the demonstration. Peoples Conference leader Sajad Lone described the protest as an attempt to move away from the issue of Article 370.

The Congress has announced that it will participate in the National Conference-led protest for the restoration of statehood. Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Tariq Hamid Karra said party leaders from the state unit as well as the central leadership would join the demonstration. The participation of senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, however, remains uncertain.

The Congress has also raised the demand for “Statehood Plus” for Jammu and Kashmir, arguing that restoration of statehood should be accompanied by constitutional safeguards for land and employment rights. The political differences among opposition parties highlight the continuing debate over the future status, rights, and governance framework of Jammu and Kashmir following the 2019 constitutional changes.

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