Farooq Abdullah named President; says "Alliance for Gupkar Declaration" not anti national

Srinagar: The newly formed "Peoples' Alliance for Gupkar Declaration" on Saturday got a formal structure and it chose Farooq Abdullah as its President and Mehbooba Mufti. The alliance which aims to restore the special status of J&K also adopted the flag of erstwhile J&K as its symbol.

Soon after being nominated as President, Abdullah said the Alliance for Gupkar Declaration is not anti-national.

Earlier a two-hour-long meeting of top leaders of the alliance was held at PDP Chief Mufti's Gupkar residence. The meeting was also attended by Omar Abdullah

Chairman of the Peoples Conference and an erstwhile ally of BJP Sajjad Lone, has been appointed as spokesperson of the group.

Lone announced that Abdullah has been appointed as President of the group while Mehbooba Mufti will be the deputy.

He added that M Y Tarigami has been appointed as convener of PAGD while Hasnain Masoodi will be its coordinator.

Lone further informed that during the meeting, it was decided the flag of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State will be the symbol of the group.

Lone said that the next meeting of the group will be held in Jammu within two weeks. He added that the group has decided to come up with a document on lies being spread against the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The President of the alliance Abdullah said that it is being propagated that the group formed by the leaders is anti-national.

"The group is not anti-national, but anti-BJP," he said.

He said the BJP has tried to divide people and are making attempts to break the federal structure of the country, but it won't succeed.

"It is not a religious fight but the fight for the identity of the nation," he said.