Mehbooba, Omar hits back at Amit Shah for ‘Gupkar Gang’ description

Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Tuesday hits back at Union Home Minister Amit Shah on his tweet, describing the Gupkar alliance of seven political parties as “Gupkar Gang”.

“Old habits die hard. Earlier BJP’s narrative was that the ‘tukde tukde’ gang threatened India’s sovereignty and 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 and day out”, said Ms. Mufti in a tweet.

Questioning the BJP’s criticism of the alliance partners of the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), she said fighting elections in an alliance “is also anti-national now”.

Ms. Mufti stated, “BJP can stitch as many alliances in its hunger for power but somehow we are undermining national interest by putting up a united front”.

The BJP’s stale tactic of dividing India by projecting themselves as saviours and political opponents as internal and imagined enemies was far too predictable now. “Love jihad, tukde tukde and now Gupkar Gang dominates the political discourse instead of like rising unemployment and inflation”, she observed.

Mr. Abdullah also took to Twitter to respond to Mr. Shah’s tweet.

“We didn’t oblige them”
“I can understand the frustration behind this attack by the Home Minister. He had been briefed that the People’s Alliance was preparing to boycott elections. This would have allowed the BJP and newly formed king’s party a free run in J&K. We didn’t oblige them”, he said.

It was only in J&K that leaders could 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 and anti-national’,” he stated

Referring to the Gupkar alliance, he said, “We are not a “gang” Amit Shah ji, we are a legitimate political alliance having fought and continuing to fight elections, much to your disappointment”.

Mr. Shah had tweeted, “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”.

The exchange of tweets comes just as J&K prepares to hold its maiden polls for the District Development Council from November 26. (The Hindu)