‘Gupkar gang’ inviting foreign forces to interfere in Kashmir’s affairs: Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday (November 17) launched a tirade against the leaders of Jammu and Kashmir as well as the Congress, accusing them of getting foreign forces to interfere in the affairs of the Union territory and stripping women and Dalits of their rights.

“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,” he said in a tweet.

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By ‘Gupkar Gang’, Shah was referring to the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) which was formed by parties including National Conference, People Democratic Party and Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference, to fight for the restoration of Article 35A and special status for Jammu and Kashmir.

The Congress is also a signatory to the group.

Directing his taunts at the party, Shah asked its leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi to clarify to the masses if they share the same principles as the Gupkar group.

“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.

“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 in another tweet.

The Gupkar group has faced criticism of the right wing, and been tagged ‘anti-national’ after NC leader Omar Abdullah advocated talks with Pakistan to solve the border row, during his speech in Parliament in September.

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The Centre stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its statehood and its special status after abrogating Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5 last year and divided it into two Union territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The leaders of the Gupkar group have demanded the restoration of the special status and well as the state flag.

Mufti recently said she will not hoist the national flag until Kashmir’s flag is restored. Enraged by the statement, the BJP had demanded that she be charged with sedition.