Indians will not tolerate any unholy ‘global gathbandhan’: Shah on Gupkar alliance

Union home minister Amit Shah onTuesday lashed out at political parties in Kashmir that have come together under the umbrella of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) and said by supporting the restoration of Article 370 in the Union Territory, they want to take away the rights of Dalits, women and tribals.

In a series of tweets, Shah said the Gupkar alliance, a coalition of political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, is a “global gathbandhan against national interest.”

“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 tweeted.

His comments come in the backdrop of reports that the PAGD would push for restoration of Article 370 even eliciting the support of China. Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti was quoted to have said that she would unfurl the national flag in J&K only when the erstwhile state’s flag is restored.

The PAGD, an alliance of seven parties, will jointly contest against the BJP in the upcoming district development council elections in the UT.

Training his guns at the alliance, Shah said, “Congress and 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 people everywhere.”

In a separate tweet, he said J&K has been, is, and will always remain an integral part of India. “...Indian people will no longer tolerate any unholy ‘global gathbandhan’ against our national interest. Either the Gupkar Gang swims along with the national mood or else the people will sink it,” Shah tweeted.

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

The alliance members, however, alleged that the BJP which was expecting a walkover in the local polls is upset by the prospect of an alliance taking it on.

Reacting to Shah’s tweets, Mufti 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.”

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

Former chief minister of J&K and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah also commented on Shah’s post and said only in J&K can leaders 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 & anti-national”,” he tweeted. Abdullah also said, the alliance is not “gang” but a “legitimate political alliance”.

“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,” Abdullah tweeted.

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

On Tuesday, Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also asked the Congress to clarify its stand on the issue of restoration of Article 370. He said Article 370, that gave the erstwhile state a special status barred women who married non-state subject holders from passing on their ancestral property to their children. He said the laws were against exploitation of children, prohibition of manual scavenging, reservation in jobs and educational institutions.