'Which gang were you then part of?' Sibal asks Shah about PDP-BJP alliance amid Gupkar row

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Wednesday hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his "Gupkar gang" remarks on the grand old party. Taking to Twitter, Sibal asked Shah whether the BJP-People's Democratic Alliance (PDP) alliance was done to "bring back terror" in Jammu and Kashmir. The Rajya Sabha MP also asked the Home Minister, "Which gang were you then part of?"

'Which gang were you then part of?'

In 2015, BJP entered into an alliance with PDP as no party could get a majority in 2014 Assembly polls in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. However, in 2018, BJP pulled out of its coalition government with the PDP.

On Tuesday, Shah had said that the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration wants foreign forces to intervene in Jammu and Kashmir and asserted that Indian people will no longer tolerate an "unholy global gathbandhan" against national interest. Taking to Twitter, Shah had asked Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi if they support the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration which, he said, insults India's Tricolour.

'Congress not part of Gupkar Alliance'

The Congress on Tuesday asserted that it was not a part of the Gupkar alliance but was contesting the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir with the Gupkar parties to "expose" the BJP through democratic means. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said in a statement that 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 in a statement. 

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Parties including the National Conference, PDP, Peoples Conference and CPI(M), formed the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration and are fighting the maiden District Development Council (DDC) elections together. The DDC polls will be conducted in Jammu and Kashmir in eight phases between November 28 and December 19, and the counting of votes will take place on December 22.

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