All-party meet in Kargil 'condemns' Govt of India's Kashmir clampdown

By A Representative
In Drass sector, a town in the Kargil District, a meeting was held by the locals to discuss the current situation of the Jammu and Kashmir state and its regions in light of the recent abrogation of Article 370, 35A and bifurcation of the state.
A meeting attended by members of various religious communities in Drass, a town in Kargil district, including Sunni, Shia, Ahle Hadith, Noorbakshia, along with members of political parties National Conference, Indian National Congress, People Democratic Party, and Bhartiya Janata Party has reportedly protested against the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir.
A statement made public by senior human rights activist Shabnam Hashmi said that local elected representatives of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (Kargil) also attended the meeting, where a decision was taken to form a coordination committee of Drass to work out how to move forward at a time when there was continuous communications black out in the Valley, and political, social and religious figures were being arrested.
The participants, said the statement, termed the Government of India decisions “undemocratic and unconstitutional”, adding, “They reject the dictatorial imposition of the bifurcation and abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A without the consent of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.” The meeting demanded restoration of communication network and release of political prisoners.