Congress leadership needs to clear stand on Gupkar Alliance: Adityanath

STATE TIMES NEWS

Lucknow: The Congress leadership should clear its stand on the Gupkar alliance in Jammu and Kashmir as its “double standards” will not only harm national security but will also “put the entire party in the dock”, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Thursday.
The People’s Association for Gupkar Declaration, a seven-party alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, has been pressing for restoration of J-K’s special status and statehood. It comprises the National Conference (NC), PDP, CPI(M), CPI, People’s Conference, Awami National Conference and the People’s Movement.
“The senior leadership of the Congress party needs to clear its stand on the Gupkar declaration as its double standards will not only harm the nation’s security and sovereignty but also put the entire party in the dock,” Adityanath told news persons here. The Congress has always played with the pride of the country and encouraged separatist elements, and once again, the double standards of the party have come to the fore in Kashmir, the chief minister alleged.
Along with leaders of the regional parties, the signatories of the Gupkar alliance also include some local Congress leaders, he said.
But the Congress had on November 17 asserted that it was not a part of the alliance and was contesting the district development council elections in the Union Territory to “expose” the BJP through democratic means.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala issued a statement saying the party was against any foreign intervention in the internal affairs of India, including in Jammu and Kashmir. “The Congress party is not part of the ‘Gupkar Alliance’ or the ‘People’s Association for Gupkar Declaration’,” he said.
Adityanath, however, said the presence of Congress leaders at meetings held in Jammu and Kashmir on the Gupkar alliance was a clear indication that the party’s senior leaders said something in Delhi and did something else in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the Congress has shown a “dubious” and “dual character” on the Gupkar alliance and owed an explanation to the country.
“Congress Ka Haath, Algavvad ke Saath (Congress is standing with separatist forces),” the UP chief minister said.
In an apparent reference to a remark by NC chief Farooq Abdullah, he said, “Time and again these people can be seen inviting China for help,” adding it was surprising that the Congress was tolerating it.
“It (Congress) ruled the country for 70 years and did nothing for the development of J&K and now, it is trying to hinder the efforts that we (BJP) started,” Adityanath said.
He alleged that the Congress was playing with the sovereignty and security of the country. Congress is the same party whose leaders P Chidambaram and Ghulam Nabi Azad spoke openly against abrogation of Article 370 and supported the cause of separatism and terrorist ideology, the chief minister claimed.
It is for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 that development works are being initiated in the state through the local bodies, he said, adding the Gupkar alliance is a result of the fury of local political leaders who know that if there is development, people will become aware and raise their voices for their rights, and so, an “unholy” alliance came into being.
“We are trying to connect the people of J&K with development through local body elections, and the separatists are making all efforts to sabotage the process. They do not want the people of J&K to get associated with the process (of elections) and participate in development, and this alliance will further that cause,” Adityanath said. BJP has always tried to unravel the “Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat” vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and now when the dream is gradually coming true, such designs are creating hurdles, he said, adding such forces never wanted progress, growth, awareness and harmony in the hill state.