PAGD was a deception, it stands exposed now: Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari

Srinagar, Mar 8 (PTI) The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) was a deception which stands exposed now, Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari said here on Friday after the PDP accused the National Conference of reducing the grouping to a joke.

“We said it four years back that this alliance was a deception to hide their faces behind it (alliance). They think people have forgotten what they did for 72 years. Today, this deception has been exposed,” Bukhari told reporters on the sidelines of the party’s fourth foundation day.

Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti accused the National Conference (NC) of reducing the PAGD to a “joke” after the Farooq Abdullah-led party unilaterally decided to contest all three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir.

The PAGD is an alliance of five political parties seeking the restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir which was revoked by the Centre in 2019.

Mufti said the NC’s decision was “disappointing” and a “setback to the hopes of the people of J&K”.

“Omar (Abdullah) has himself said that the PDP is out of the alliance. You can see who has broken the alliance. We did not. This was a unique alliance. It is disappointing to see it shattered. They have reduced PAGD to a joke,” Mufti said when asked if the NC’s decision meant the alliance was broken.

Bukhari said the PAGD constituents will rip each other apart and expose each other in the coming days.

He said the NC and PDP have once again dashed the hopes of the people of J-K.

“This has always been their record, this has been their history that they befool the people. The PAGD was nothing, but perhaps a point of resistance and unfortunately, these traitors betrayed the people,” he said.

Asked about PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks that by breaking the PAGD, the NC had done what the BJP could not do, Bukhari said they all are responsible for the situation in J-K.

“Their sins cannot be forgiven by shedding tears, they are responsible for the situation in J-K and the people should punish them,” he added.