Mehbooba Mufti leads a delegation to Raj Bhavan.

J&K parties on Friday warned the Centre against anydilution in the constitutional status of J&K, and sought the government’sclarification on the current “hysteria” in Parliament.

“India has finally failed to win over the love of J&K,which rejected divisions on religious grounds and chose secular India. Thegloves are finally off, and India has chosen territory over people,” PeoplesDemocratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti said.She said the PDP always believedthat any concession or a final solution on J&K had to come from India. “Buttoday, the same country seems to be preparing to rob J&K of whatever littleis left to protect its unique identity,” she said.

National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullahquestioned the government move to shift pilgrims and tourists out of J&K.“State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) buses are being deployed to bus peopleout from Pahalgam and Gulmarg. If there is a threat to the yatra, why isGulmarg being emptied,” he asked.CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami questioned PrimeMinister Narendra Modi’s silence in the Parliament over the issue.

Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said the removal ofArticle 35A was to change the demography of the State. “The provision wasnegotiated by the regional electoral parties and is an article of faith, whichshould not be breached. Such measures will not change the reality that Kashmiris an issue and has to be resolved. The word is asking India and Pakistan toresolve it and there are also offers to mediate,” he told a Friday congregationin Srinagar.

Mehbooba leads all-party delegation

Ms. Mufti arranged late evening meetings with rival NationalConference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone,Mr. Tarigami and J&K Peoples Movement head Shah Faesal. Later, Ms. Muftiled a joint delegation of these parties to meet Mr. Malik. Ms. Mufti sought todispel rumours fuelled by the government order asking the tourists and Amarnathpilgrims to leave as soon as possible.“After a brief discussion, we called onMr. Malik ji and requested him to dispel rumours that have caused a sense ofpanic in the Valley,” said Ms. Mufti.

Mr. Faesal, while questioning the government advisory, said,“Should Kashmiris also migrate to other places or is it that our lives do notmatter?”

Meanwhile, sources said Dr. Abdullah extended support to Ms.Mufti. Dr. Abdullah is likely to convene an all-party meet in Srinagar afterMr. Omar Abdullah returns to the Valley.

‘Serious and credible inputs on terrorist attacks’

After meeting leaders of the parties, Mr. Malik informed thedelegation that there were serious and credible inputs regarding terroristattacks on the Amarnath Yatra.

“It is the responsibility of the state to provide securityto all its citizens. Unnecessary panic is being created by linking this to allkinds of other issues. A pure security measure is being mixed up with issueswith which it has no connection. The political leaders should ask theirsupporters to maintain calm,” he said.The Governor said he himself hadclarified matters on 35A yesterday in Baramulla.