RSP slams Congress-Gupkar alliance ahead of DDC polls, questions its stance on Article 370

After the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) announced that they would contest the District Development Council (DDC) polls together to reinstate Article 370, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday stated that the mainstream parties of J&K were more interested in bringing back Article 370, so that they could bring back their malpractices and corruption in the valley. 

"People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration has declared the restoration of Article 370 as its agenda. They do not want certain laws including the Prevention of Corruption Act in Jammu and Kashmir so that they can continue with corruption. Farooq Abdullah has no compulsion in taking the help of China for the restoration of Article 370. Mehbooba Mufti also spoke on the same lines. She won't unfurl the Indian flag until Kashmir flag is unfurled. This is their stance on it," said Prasad. 

"I need to remind the country about the benefits of the removal of Article 370. In the 5th schedule table 1, central laws will be imposed in the valley. Benami Act, Dowry Prohibition Act, Employment of Manual Scavengers have been brought in the valley. Juvenile Justice Act, Ponzi Scheme Act, Child Marriage Act, Protection of Child from Sexual Abuse have been brought. When you want this Article to be restored that means you are promoting corruption and you want whatever was prevailing in Kashmir before the act to continue. The SC/ST people were deprived of these acts, is what the opposition wants?" he asked. 

Prasad questions Congress 

Hitting out at the Congress party, who has recently joined the Gupkar alliance Prasad questioned if the grand-old party was in turn also extending its support to Abdullah's stance of seeking Chinese intervention, or Mufti's stance of disregarding the Indian flag.

"I want to ask that Congress wants to push the valley into conservatism. You don't want to protect the rights of the daughters of Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir has a bitter reality that the Muslim daughter who used to marry a person from Delhi or any other part of the country would be removed from the basic rights inherited by her family. Today, people can buy lands, settle down there peacefully. Is the Congress party going to support the restoration of Article 370? Congress needs to answer," he said. 

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Read: Omar Abdullah Laments 'What Did Kashmiris Do Wrong?', Slams Centre's New Land Laws For J&K

Gupkar alliance to conduct DDC polls together 

Ahead of the DDC polls, Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Sunday announced that the Gupkar alliance will contest the polls together to 'defeat' those who had forcibly implemented laws against the wishes of the citizens. The PAGD includes mainstream Kashmiri parties like National Conference, PDP, Peoples Conference, CPI(M) and recently-inducted Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC).

After attending a meeting at National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah's residence in Srinagar, Mir revealed that the 'final touches' of seat-sharing had been discussed, and by and large parties were 'satisfied.' The DDC elections will be conducted in eight phases between November 28 and December 19. Counting of votes will take place on December 22.

Read: Gupkar Leaders Meet Kargil Alliance; Omar Abdullah Says 'All Want Pre-Aug 5 Status Quo'

Read: Gupkar Or Guptchar?: BJP Slams Congress Over J&K Alliance; Coins 'NPPP' Acronym For Rahul