Not part of Gupkar Alliance: Congress clarifies after political criticism
The Congress party on Tuesday clarified that it was not a part of Gupkar Alliance or People's Association for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD).In a statement, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the party was not part of the seven-member grouping. The PAGD, a coalition of seven mainstream parties of Jammu and Kashmir was formed on October 15 seeking the restoration of the erstwhile state’s special status.
In a press statement on Tuesday, Surjewala hits out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over asking Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi to clear their stand if they support the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration.
Hitting out at the BJP government in the Centre, the Congress leader said, "To spread lies, fraud and creating new illusions have become the way of the Modi government. 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."
Amit Shah slammed the Congress and Gupkar Alliance, calling it an 'unholy gathbandhan' against the national interest. In a series of tweets, Shah accused the regional political players of seeking foreign intervention in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said that the alliance constituents are disrespecting the Tricolour and thundered that Jammu and Kashmir will always remain an integral part of India.
"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," he tweeted.
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What is Gupkar Declaration
The NC, PDP, Sajjad Lone and other regional groups have announced an alliance in Jammu and Kashmir to "fight" for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special status which the Modi government had scrapped in August 2019. While NC's Farooq Abdullah is the chairperson of the block, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti is the deputy chairperson.
Gupkar Declaration is a resolution issued after an all-party meeting on August 4, 2019 at the Gupkar residence of the NC chief. The resolution at the end of the meet on August 4, 2019, a day before the Centre announced its decision of revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status and split it into two Union territories, said the parties unanimously resolved that they would be united in their effort to protect and defend the identity, autonomy and special status of Jammu and Kashmir against all attacks and onslaughts.
The parties had met again in August this year and vowed to fight for the restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
In August last year, the Centre scrapped Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union territories.
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