‘Misleading, Stale Tactic’: Opposition Slams Amit Shah’s ‘Gupkar Gang’ Remark

Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday accused the Congress of seeking foreign intervention in Jammu and Kashmir, terming it part of a ‘Gupkar Gang’.

Shah repeatedly targeted the Congress in a series of tweets and asking if the party supports moves of ‘Gupkar Gang’.

“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,” Amit Shah tweeted.

The Home Minister also alleged the "Congress and Gupkar Gang want to take J&K back to the era of terror and turmoil". They want to take away the rights of Dalits, women and tribals, which the BJP has ensured by removing Article 370, he said.

He further wrote that Indians would no longer tolerate an unholy 'global alliance' against our national interest. Either the ‘Gupkar Gang' swims along with the national mood or else people will sink it.

Hitting out at the Amit Shah's allegations, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said Amit Shah is “misleading” people and that the “Congress is not a part of Gupkar alliance”.

आए दिन झूठ बोलना, कपट फैलाना व नए भ्रमजाल गढ़ना मोदी सरकार का चाल-चेहरा-चरित्र बन गया है।

शर्म की बात है कि देश के गृहमंत्री श्री अमित शाह राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा की अपनी जिम्मेदारी दरकिनार कर जम्मू, कश्मीर व लद्दाख पर सरासर झूठी, भ्रामक व शरारतपूर्ण बयानबाजी कर रहे हैं!

हमारा बयान-: pic.twitter.com/AsX67nFI03

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) November 17, 2020

Former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti also immediately posted several tweets, saying the BJP’s stale tactic of diving India is far too predictable now.

Old habits die hard. Earlier BJPs narrative was that the tukde tukde gang threatened India’s sovereignty & 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 & day out https://t.co/LoODFZuPmd

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) November 17, 2020

BJPs stale tactic of dividing India by projecting themselves as saviours & political opponents as internal & imagined enemies is far too predictable now. Love jihad, tukde tukde & now Gupkar Gang dominates the political discourse instead of like rising unemployment & inflation

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) November 17, 2020

Omar Abdullah also responded by saying he can understand Shah’s frustration because the Jammu and Kashmir alliance has decided to contest the upcoming elections.

Only in J&K can leaders be detained & called anti-national for participating in elections & supporting the democratic process. The truth is all those who oppose the ideology of the BJP are labelled “corrupt & anti-national”.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) November 17, 2020

On August 4, 2019, a joint resolution was passed by the major political parties in Jammu and Kashmir at National Conference President Farooq Abdullah’s residence on Gupkar Road in Srinagar, in a bid to oppose the Centre's decision to repeal Article 370.

The ‘Gupkar Gang’ is a coalition of major political parties, including National Conference, the People's Democratic Party, the People's Conference, the Awami National Conference, the CPM, the CPI, and the J&K People's Movement.

It’s strange that the Union Home Minister addresses his opponents as gangs. Earlier, the ‘Tukde Tukde Gang’ was also publicised by the BJP in political discourse. However, when an RTI was sought from the Home Ministry regarding this, the Ministry had denied having any information about the gang.