A day after the ruling BJP fielded Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad to attack the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) in Jammu and Kashmir, Home Minister Amit Shah released a series of tweets labelling the regional grouping, that includes three former Chief Ministers of the erstwhile State, as a “gang” and demanded that the Congress clarify its support for the alliance.
The BJP is contesting against the PAGD, which includes Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) along with the Congress and other regional groups, in the District Development Council elections.
The ruling party has labelled the regional coalition as “anti-national” and has emphasised Farooq Abdullah’s reported statement that he would have no compunction in reaching out to China for restoration of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir to back the assertion. The BJP has also highlighted former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s reported declaration that the Tricolour will not be hoisted in Kashmir till their alliance unfurls J&K’s erstwhile flag in the region.
The Home Minister on Tuesday demanded to know what the Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have to say about the reported statements of Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti and whether they support their alliance partners’ reported stand.
‘Make your stand clear’
“The Gupkar Gang is going global. They want foreign forces to intervene in J&K. 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,” said the Home Minister on his Twitter handle.
He warned that the national mood is against such politics and said the reason why the Congress is being rejected by people everywhere is because of their support for such causes.
“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. That is why they are being rejected by people everywhere… Jammu and Kashmir has been, is and always will 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.
The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration was formed a day before Parliament annulled Article 370. The Alliance, which the Congress is now supporting, has adopted the flag of the erstwhile State of J&K and aims to restore the special Constitutional status of J&K.
PAGD’s stand
The Alliance believes that there is widespread unease in the Valley as well as in Jammu and Ladakh around the new land laws that have done away with the domicile requirement for buying non-agricultural land and easing transfer of agricultural land in J&K. They also believe that the locals fear losing land to outsiders, especially in the peaceful region of Jammu and Ladakh which has not been given Schedule VI status to protect its land rights and identity.
The local parties, who are now part of the Alliance, believe that there is more likelihood of outsiders purchasing land in relatively more peaceful Jammu and Ladakh.