Facing a sharp attack from Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress on Tuesday made it clear that it is not a part of the Gupkar Alliance but is contesting the district development council elections in Jammu and Kashmir to expose the BJP through a democratic process.
Congress's statement came after Shah accused the People’s Association for the Gupkar Declaration of wanting foreign forces to intervene in Jammu and Kashmir, asking Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi whether they supported such plans.
“Congress is not part of the Gupkar Alliance or People’s Association for Gupkar Declaration,” AICC General Secretary and chief spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said.
The Gupkar Alliance was formed this year on the first anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution that granted special status to J&K and bifurcation of the state into two Union Territories.
Seven regional parties of J&K are partners of the Alliance, whose declared objective is to restore Article 370 and Article 35A and the statehood of J&K.
The Alliance announced recently that it would contest the District Development Council elections in J&K. Congress too has announced that it would contest the elections, but on its own symbol.
However, the Congress has said it will be open to local level adjustments with “like-minded, secular parties, who have decided to contest the DDC elections”.
Surjewala accused Shah of “deliberately spreading lies and creating a mirage” by making mischievous statements and ignoring his original mandate of ensuring internal security in the country.
Congress leaders Tariq Anwar and Ajay Maken hit back at the Union Home Minister questioning his moral authority to make such statements and reminding him that it was the BJP that was running an alliance government with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir until recently.
(Published 17 November 2020, 15:20 IST)
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