DPAP Expresses Confidence in Supreme Court to Address J&K’s Expectations on Article 370
Ghulam Nabi Azad's DPAP Stands Firm: Demands Reversal of Unconstitutional Changes Post Article 370 Abrogation
09-12-2023 : The Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), led by Ghulam Nabi Azad, expressed optimism regarding the forthcoming Supreme Court judgment on Article 370, anticipating that it will align with the expectations of the people in Jammu and Kashmir. On Saturday, the DPAP criticized the BJP-led government for its delay in conducting assembly polls and reinstating statehood to the Union Territory. The Supreme Court is set to announce its verdict on December 11, addressing a series of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
R.S. Chib, the General Secretary of DPAP and a former minister, conveyed the party’s confidence that the apex court’s decision will deliver justice to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, considering their expectations, sentiments, and welfare. Chib, accompanied by the party’s Chief Spokesperson Salman Nizami and Jammu Provincial President Jugal Kishore Sharma, expressed hope that the court would rectify what was “unconstitutionally” taken away from the people on August 5, 2019.
Nizami highlighted the courageous stance of DPAP Chairman Azad, who, as the leader of the opposition in 2019, vehemently opposed the abrogation of Article 370 both in the Parliament and on the streets, characterizing the move as illegal and unconstitutional. Sharma contradicted the BJP’s claims of development and the end of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, pointing to ongoing encounters and the loss of lives among security forces post the August 5, 2019 decision.
Chib demanded the immediate restoration of statehood and the conduct of assembly elections, accusing the BJP of betraying the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the country with the revocation of Article 370, claiming that it brought more terrorism and violence. In response to a question about the party’s strategy if Article 370 is not restored by the Supreme Court, Chib asserted that the DPAP is a law-abiding party that will accept the verdict but will persist in its fight for the restoration of statehood, exclusive rights over land and jobs, and the early conduct of assembly elections. He lamented the perceived injustice done to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, expressing disappointment in the treatment they have received.
