The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and DPAP chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad will contest the Lok Sabha polls from Anantnag-Rajouri constituency.

The announcement was made by party treasurer Taj Mohiuddin during a press conference in Srinagar. He said that the party has decided to field Ghulam Nabi Azad as its Lok Sabha candidate from Anantnag-Rajouri seat.

On Monday, the National Conference announced that former minister and ex-legislator from Kangan, Mian Altaf will be the party candidate from this constituency.

SRINAGAR — The Election Commission of India (ECI) has allotted 'Bucket' as the symbol to Ghulam Nabi Azad-led Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Party chief spokesperson, Salman Nizami told the news agency KNO that the ECI has allocated 'Bucket' as the election symbol to the party.

Lok Sabha polls are scheduled to be held next month in seven phases with the first phase commencing on April 19.

SRINAGAR — In a significant political development, former two-time legislator Syed Basharat Bukhari is expected to formally join Ghulam Nabi Azad's Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) next week.

Talks between Bukhari and Azad have been ongoing for the past several months, with several politicians expressing interest in joining the party.

"Basharat Bukhari and other politicians have engaged in discussions with us over the past several months. The delay was due to Bukhari's aspiration to contest the North Kashmir parliamentary seat. Once he officially joins the party, which is likely to happen next week, we will determine his future political role within the DPAP," stated a source close to Azad.

Having previously severed ties with the PDP, NC, and PC, Bukhari has experienced a decline in public support within the Wagoora-Kreeri constituency. Nevertheless, he remains optimistic about his political revival upon joining the DPAP.

"Basharat shares a friendly relationship with Azad, ensuring strong support from the party leadership. He is very close to the Azad and his family," emphasized a DPAP source. "If Azad supports his candidacy for the North Kashmir parliamentary seat, there is no reason for us to oppose it," the source added.

Basharat Bukhari admitted he had met Azad recently in Delhi. "I had a meeting with Azad Sahab in Delhi. We discussed many things about J&K. Let's see what happens next," he said.

SRINAGAR — Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday said that he is hopeful that the Supreme Court will pronounce the verdict on Article 370 in favour of Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the people of J&K have been waiting for more than four years for justice from the apex court. “People of J&K were waiting for the last four years for the Supreme Court to pronounce the decision on pleas challenging the decision taken on August 5, 2019 by the Government of India to abrogate the special status of J&K under Article 370 and 35(A). These rights were snatched from us before four years and people have pinned hope on SC to get justice from there,” Azad told reporters here, as per the news agency KNS.

He said the special provision was imperative for Jammu and Kashmir as it was kept intact by Maharaja Hari Singh from his times. “Maharaja Hari Singh kept this provision intact since 1925 with an aim to secure land and employment to domiciles of J&K. Later, this provision was given room in the Constitution of the country and many governments since then kept this law untouched. But unfortunately, BJP tinkered with it and abrogated on August 5, 2019,” he said.

Azad said that common people and politicians of J&K were emotionally attached with Article 370 and 35(A). He reiterated that no political party can return Article 370 and 35(A) back to Jammu and Kashmir except two revered institutions of the country – Parliament and the Supreme Court.

“I have already said that no political party can undo the decisions taken on August 5, 2019. Only Parliament or Supreme Court can return this law back to J&K. There should be 350 seats in the Parliament to restore this law,” Azad added.

He hoped and prayed that a five-member bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachod would pronounce the decision in favour of J&K on December 11.

We trust SC will uphold its constitutional principles: Muzaffar Shah

As the Supreme Court is set to announce its verdict on Monday regarding a series of petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 provisions in Jammu and Kashmir, senior leader and vice president of Awami National Conference, Muzaffar Shah stated on Sunday that tomorrow's proceedings are not just about a verdict but also a significant test for the Supreme Court.

In an interview with a national news channel, Shah expressed his views ahead of the constitution bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud, delivering its judgment on Monday, December 11, regarding the challenge to the abrogation of Article 370.

He emphasized that it's not just about the decision; it's a crucial test for the Supreme Court. Shah noted that the government de-operationalized the status of J&K by abrogating Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

"The court has to decide tomorrow whether the action was right or wrong, considering the lack of information and consent from the people. All eyes will be on the top court and its bench as it faces a significant test," he said.

"It's solely a question of whether the government's actions on August 5 were constitutionally right or wrong. We trust that the esteemed top court will uphold its constitutional principles and render a decision in favour of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he stated.

ANANTNAG — Pitching for the release of religious leaders, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said that the incarceration of clerics plays a spoilsport and it creates doubts among the populace and dilutes the good initiatives taken by the government in Jammu and Kashmir.

Azad, who addressed a party rally in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, said that it is unfortunate that clerics who have nothing to do with the militancy are behind the bars. He said such measures on part of the government create doubts among people, though the government in Jammu and Kashmir has also taken some good initiatives.

“Sending a person to jail on mere suspicion is not a good sign for the state. I urge the government to release religious leaders and youth from the jails who have been incarcerated on flimsy grounds,” Azad said.

Recalling the days when he was the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Azad said his government didn’t touch innocent people and always differentiated between a militant and a common man. “People lodged in jails on flimsy grounds should not be booked under Public Safety Act, though there should be strong laws for militants,” he said.

He appealed to political parties to get united in order to form a strong and stable government. “Division is not in the interest of people. Unity is the need of the hour and all political parties should get united,” he said.

Azad said that people have been facing multiple problems and the biggest one is unemployment.

SRINAGAR — Former deputy chief minister Tara Chand on Thursday said that he is returning to Congress as “Ghulam Nabi Azad-led Democratic Azad Party is only dividing the secular vote.”

Talking to the news agency KNO, Tara Chand, who was deputy CM during the NC-Congress regime, said that he is likely to rejoin Congress. “I will rejoin the party. I am Congressman by birth,” he said, adding that he is holding consultation with his workers.

He said they were expelled from the group at the time when they were thinking of rejoining the party. “Most of the people would leave the party. Where is the party? It is almost non-existent and only a few people are calling shots in it,” he said.

He said that Ghulam Nabi Azad-led DAP is only dividing the secular vote.

Tara Chand and two leaders were expelled by the DAP on Thursday for their involvement in anti-party activities. This is a serious setback to Azad-led DAP which has failed to rope in leaders from parties other than Congress.

Former MLA Surankote Choudhary Muhammad Akram has already distanced himself from the Azad-led DAP.

SRINAGAR — In a major political development in Jammu & Kashmir, former MLA and powerful Gujjar leader Choudhary Muhammad Akram has reportedly distanced himself from Ghulam Nabi Azad-led Democratic Azad Party (DAP), sources disclosed.

Sources told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that former MLA Surankote Choudhary Muhammad Akram has not participated in the activities of the Democratic Azad Party after its launch.

“Akram was conspicuously missing from the function when DAP was launched in Jammu, “they said, adding that he has not joined DAP , although he participated in its activities before its launch.

Akram’s name also doesn’t figure in the list of party leaders appointed as members of six zonal committees constituted by Ghulam Nabi Azad for Jammu & Kashmir.

According to sources, Akram is still weighing his options and is yet to decide on his future course of action.

Akram had won the last assembly election from Surankote assembly segment by a huge margin. He is the son of powerful Gujjar leader Choudhary Mohammad Aslam Lassanvi, who was the first Gujjar leader from J&K to become Rajya Sabha member.

Aslam served as J&K's finance minister, education minister and speaker of the Legislative Assembly. He remained J&K Pradesh Congress Committee chief for 17 years.

SRINAGAR — Former veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who ended his more than five-decade-long association with the Congress in August, has launched his own new political party named 'Democratic Azad Party'.

The senior politician and former chief minister, while speaking to media persons here at Jammu, announced the name of his new party: Democratic Azad Party. He said that around 1,500 names for his new party were sent to him in different languages including Urdu and Sanskrit.

"The mix of Hindi and Urdu is 'Hindustani'. We wanted the name to be democratic, peaceful and independent," he said. "Our priority will be to register our party. Elections can take place at any time. We will continue our political activities," he said.

"We haven't consulted any other party for floating a new party. My party will have Gandhiji's ideology," the senior politician, who also unveiled the flag of the Democratic Azad Party, said. The flag has three colours - mustard, white and blue.

"Mustard colour indicates creativity and unity in diversity, white indicates peace and blue indicates freedom, open space, imagination and limits from the depths of the ocean to the heights of the sky," he said.

Azad further said that apple trucks should be prioritized like ambulances rather than halted on Srinagar-Jammu national highway.

Earlier, Azad in his first public meeting in Jammu after quitting Congress had announced to launch his own political outfit that will focus on the restoration of full statehood. He had said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir will decide the name and the flag for the party. "My party will focus on the restoration of full statehood, right to land, and employment to native domicile," he had added.

Over two dozen prominent Congress leaders including former deputy chief minister Tara Chand, several former ministers and legislators also resigned from the Congress in support of Azad.