Srinagar- Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday termed People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), a conglomerate of political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, as ‘Gupkar Gang’ saying it wants foreign forces to intervene in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a series of tweets, Shah alleged that the “Gupkar Gang is going global” and wants foreign forces to intervene in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The Gupkar Gang is going global! They want foreign forces to intervene in Jammu and Kashmir. The Gupkar Gang also insults India’s Tricolour. Do Sonia Ji and Rahul Ji support such moves of the Gupkar Gang ? They should make their stand crystal clear to the people of India,” Shah said.
The Gupkar Gang is going global! They want foreign forces to intervene in Jammu and Kashmir. The Gupkar Gang also insults India’s Tricolour. Do Sonia Ji and Rahul Ji support such moves of the Gupkar Gang ? They should make their stand crystal clear to the people of India.
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 17, 2020
Shah said PAGD and Congress want to take J&K back to the era of terror and turmoil.
“Congress and the Gupkar Gang want to take J&K back to the era of terror and turmoil. They want to take away rights of Dalits, women and tribals that we have ensured by removing Article 370. This is why they’re being rejected by the people everywhere,” Shah wrote in another tweet.
Congress and the Gupkar Gang want to take J&K back to the era of terror and turmoil. They want to take away rights of Dalits, women and tribals that we have ensured by removing Article 370. This is why they’re being rejected by the people everywhere.
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 17, 2020
He also asserted that Jammu and Kashmir has been and will always remain an integral part of India.
“Jammu and Kashmir has been, is and will always remain an integral part of India. Indian people will no longer tolerate an unholy ‘global gathbandhan’ against our national interest. Either the Gupkar Gang swims along with the national mood or else the people will sink it,” he said.
Jammu and Kashmir has been, is and will always remain an integral part of India. Indian people will no longer tolerate an unholy ‘global gathbandhan’ against our national interest. Either the Gupkar Gang swims along with the national mood or else the people will sink it.
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 17, 2020
On August 4, 2019, a day before the central government announced the abrogation of the Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, political parties in Kashmir, except the BJP, met at the residence of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah at Gupkar Road in Srinagar.
They had also issued a joint statement defending Article 370.
The constituents of the conglomerate include the National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, CPI-M, Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference and Awami National Conference.
Omar, Mehbooba Hit Back At Shah Over His ‘ Gupkar Gang’ Remarks
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah reacted sharply on Tuesday to comments of Home Minister Amit Shah terming the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration a “gang”, and said the frustration stems from the political amalgam deciding to contest the forthcoming local body elections and not giving the BJP and its allies a free run.
Reacting to a series of tweets by Shah, Omar, who is also vice president of the National Conference, said, “We are not a gang Amit Shah Ji, we are legitimate political alliance having fought and continuing to fight election, much to your disappointment.”
We are not a “gang” Amit Shah ji, we are a legitimate political alliance having fought & continuing to fight elections, much to your disappointment.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) November 17, 2020
Taking a veiled dig at the newly formed Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, Omar said, “I can understand the frustration behind this attack by the Hon’ble Home Minister. He had been briefed that the People’s Alliance was preparing to boycott elections. This would have allowed the BJP and newly formed King’s party a free run in J&K. We didn’t oblige them.”
I can understand the frustration behind this attack by the Hon’ble Home Minister. He had been briefed that the People’s Alliance was preparing to boycott elections. This would have allowed the BJP & newly formed King’s party a free run in J&K. We didn’t oblige them. https://t.co/OrLBPAIFVn
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) November 17, 2020
He said that only leaders in Jammu and Kashmir can be detained and called anti-national for participating in elections and supporting the democratic process.
“The truth is all those who oppose the ideology of the BJP are labelled ‘corrupt and anti-national’,” he tweeted.
Meanwhile, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday hit back at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his ‘Gupkar Gang’ remarks, saying such comments were aimed at diverting people’s attention from rising unemployment and inflation.
BJPs stale tactic of dividing India by projecting themselves as saviours & political opponents as internal & imagined enemies is far too predictable now. Love jihad, tukde tukde & now Gupkar Gang dominates the political discourse instead of like rising unemployment & inflation
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) November 17, 2020
Mehbooba said the “BJP’s stale tactic of dividing India by projecting themselves as saviours and political opponents as internal and imagined enemies is far too predictable now.”
“Love jihad, tukde tukde and now Gupkar Gang dominates the political discourse instead of (issues) like rising unemployment and inflation,” she said.
The PDP chief also wondered whether fighting elections in an alliance is also anti-national now. “BJP can stitch as many alliances in its hunger for power but somehow we are undermining national interest by putting up a united front,” she said.
“Old habits die hard. Earlier BJP’s narrative was that the tukde tukde gang threatened India’s sovereignty and they are now using ‘Gupkar Gang’ euphemism to project us as anti-nationals. Irony died a million deaths since it’s BJP itself that violates the constitution day in and day out,” she tweeted.
Old habits die hard. Earlier BJPs narrative was that the tukde tukde gang threatened India’s sovereignty & they are now using ‘Gupkar Gang’ euphemism to project us as anti nationals. Irony died a million deaths since its BJP itself that violates the constitution day in & day out https://t.co/LoODFZuPmd
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) November 17, 2020
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