Fadnavis attacks Cong for `becoming part of' Gupkar alliance

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday criticised the Congress for `becoming part' of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) in Jammu and Kashmir.

Alleging that the grouping's agenda is to restore the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution in J&K, he claimed that this has "exposed" the Congress.

The Congress had asserted on Tuesday that it was not a part of the Gupkar Alliance.

Speaking to reporters here, Fadnavis said the PAGD has the PDP, National Conference, People's Conference, CPI(M), People's United Front, Panthers Party and Awami National Conference as its members.

"And along with these parties, the Congress too has become a part of it. We want to ask a question to the Congress whether it supports the PAGD's agenda?" Fadnavis said.

National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah had said that Article 370 will be restored with the help of China, the BJP leader alleged.

Abdullah's party had denied last month that he had made any such statement.

Fadnavis also claimed that another leader of the alliance, PDP's Mehbooba Mufti, had said that India's tricolour will not be allowed to be hoisted in Kashmir.

Mufti earlier this month had said she will hold the tricolour and the flag of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir together, adding that as an MLA she had reaffirmed her faith in the J-K Constitution and the sovereignty and integrity of India as both are inseparable.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister had last month said she was not interested in contesting elections or holding the national flag till the constitutional changes effected in August 2019 are rolled back.

"(Mufti said) that tricolour will not be respected.

The Congress is forming alliance with this Mehbooba Mufti," Fadnavis alleged.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly further claimed that the alliance's agenda is to fight the battle for Kashmir along with pro-Pakistani and separatist forces.

The Congress will have to give answer if it forms alliance with such "fissiparous" forces, Fadnavis said.

"The agenda of all these people is to restore Article 370. I want to tell them clearly that no power in the world can restore Article 370. And if someone tries, the people of India will not let them do that," he said.