In a scathing attack against the Gupkar alliance, Home Minister Amit Shah has said that 'Gupkar Gang' is an "unholy global gathbandhan" against the country's national interest. Shah also challenged Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in a series of tweets as to whether they support the People's Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), a conglomerate of regional and national political parties established in Jammu and Kashmir to demand that Article 370 be restored, which was scrapped last year on 5th August.
His tweet read, "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."
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 further went on to say that Congress and 'Gupkar Gang' want to take Jammu and Kashmir back to the era of terror and turmoil, and they "want to take away rights of Dalits, women and tribal that we have ensured by removing Article 370. This is why they're being rejected by the people everywhere".
Mehbooba hits back
Responding to Shah's claims, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said such comments are made to divert the attention of the people from inflation and rising unemployment.
The PDP leader even asked if fighting an alliance election is now anti-national, too. "Love jihad, tukde tukde and now Gupkar Gang dominates the political discourse instead of (issues) like rising unemployment and inflation," she responded to Shah on micro-blogging site, Twitter.
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
Not a part of Gupkar alliance: Congress
Amidst claims and counterclaims, Indian National Congress (INC) has clarified its stance on the Gupkar alliance and has said that the Congress party is not a part of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD). Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said that "Congress party is not a part of Gupkar alliance or People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration."
Surjewala accused the Modi government of spreading lies, fraud and illusion. In a press conference, " It's a shame that Home Minister Amit Shah is keeping aside the responsibility of the national security and is making false, misleading and mischievous statements on Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh."
