Terming the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) as Gupkar Gang and that it is involved in anti-national acts, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi has asked the Congress to make its stand clear on the declaration.
Addressing presspersons in Dharwad on Saturday, Mr. Joshi said that the Congress had earlier said that joining the group was left to Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee and now, with the latest signatory to the group being Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee, it had now emerged that the grant old party of India was too part of the Gupkar Gang.
“The NC, the PDP, the CPI(M), the HNC are already in the group and the Congress has it joined now. NPC president Farooq Abdullah has openly said that he would seek support from China to reinstate Article 370 and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has talked of not accepting the tricolour and bringing back the Jammu and Kashmir flag. These two leaders are provoking anti-nationals to revolt and fight against the Indian Army and are indirectly funding terror activities. Now, the Congress has shown its true colours by joining hands with them,” he said.
Mr. Joshi said that people who were arrested for throwing stones on Indian Army were given amnesty when Mehbooba Mufti was the Chief Minister.
He asked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is in Goa with his mother and AICC president Sonia Gandhi, to immediately convene a meeting of party leaders and clarify the party’s stand on supporting the Gupkar Gang as the issue pertained to integrity of the nation.
“The Congress which claims to be the guardian of the country should clarify whether it is with China and Pakistan or with India,” he said.
Mr. Joshi also took a dig at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and said that during her rule, the TMC has been involved in political murders with over 100 BJP workers being killed. But the BJP would end her political game in the forthcoming Assembly elections and provide good governance to the people of West Bengal, he said.
Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar, MLA Amrut Desai and others were present.
