A day after the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) announced it would contest the upcoming District Development Council (DDC) polls unitedly, Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) lashed out on it on Sunday saying that they were only after power and befooling people.
The PAGD on Saturday announced that it would contest the DDC polls unitedly not to allow the “sacred space in democracy to be invaded or marauded by divisive forces”. BJP’s General Secretary and Kashmir affairs in-charge Vibodh Gupta termed the alliance as “Gupkar Gang”, and said these parties were after power and people should understand their intentions.
Talking to reporters during a press conference, Vibodh said that if the alliance was against the Constitution of India, how come this “gang” was fighting the DDC polls under the same constitution. He said that those who would emerge as winners would have to take oath under the very constitution that the “Gupkar Gang” was opposing.
“PAGD’s decision to contest the DDC polls reflects the dual politics being played by them,” he said adding that this was how the “Gupkar Gang” was playing cheap politics and trying to befool people.
“On one hand, they want to remain in the system and gain power, but on the other hand, they are opposing the same constitution under which they are supposed to take oath,” he said.
The senior BJP leader said the alliance was afraid of BJP’s “growing popularity” in J&K and thus had decided to stay united against it in the DDC polls. “Ultimately, they showed their intention yesterday that this gang has been formed to come back to power because they can’t remain without power. We also welcome this,” he said.
“They said they will not allow BJP to win in Kashmir valley. Now, the BJP has become the greatest challenge to the alliance in the Valley. I thank the workers of BJP for this because they have risked their lives to realize Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of peace, progress and development in J&K,” Vibodh said, adding that people should understand the intentions of the National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party leaders.
He said whoever wins in these polls would have to hold the tricolour. “Mehbooba Ji should tell people whether she retracts her statement against the constitution and the dignity and honour of the tricolour. If she does that, BJP will welcome it,” he said. The BJP general secretary demanded that an FIR be lodged against NC vice-president Omar Abdullah.
“Omar has said their fight is for the rights of the people and not for elections. So what has happened now? Also, about his another painful statement that the youngsters of Kashmir will again pick up guns — I want to ask him: ‘Who was responsible for the youth picking up guns in 1989?’ J&K has had your governments for the last 60-70 years? This is a provocative statement and I demand an FIR be registered against him by the Police. He does not want bloodshed to end here and let Kashmir grow and prosper,” he said adding BJP will contest all DDC seats across J&K and show the “Gupkar Gang” it’s real strength.