PDP paved BJP's way into J&K, has no right to lecture NC on Article 370: Gupta

24/07/2026

JAMMU, Jul 23: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Provincial President, Jammu, Rattan Lal Gupta on Thursday hit out at PDP president Mehbooba Mufti over her allegations that the NC was normalising the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35-A, accusing the PDP of having paved the way for the BJP's entry into the corridors of power in Jammu and Kashmir.
Gupta alleged that the PDP had compromised Jammu and Kashmir's interests for political power and said the party had no "moral, political or ideological authority" to lecture the National Conference on the erstwhile state's special constitutional position.
"It was the PDP that legitimised the BJP's entry into the corridors of power in Jammu and Kashmir and paved the way for everything that followed," Gupta said in a statement here.
He alleged that Mehbooba Mufti had chosen power over principles and continued in office despite differences with the BJP during the PDP-BJP coalition government.
Gupta further claimed that the extension of central laws and measures, including the SARFAESI Act, Goods and Services Tax and National Food Security Act, during the PDP-led government had progressively weakened Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional position before August 5, 2019.
He also accused the PDP of failing to support attempts to forge unity among regional and democratic political forces for restoration of the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Whenever the National Conference calls for a united struggle to restore the rights of the people, the PDP conveniently finds excuses to stay away," Gupta alleged.
The NC leader further accused the PDP and other parties, which he described as the BJP's "A, B and C teams", of creating confusion and dividing public opinion in Jammu and Kashmir.
Rejecting Mehbooba Mufti's allegations against the National Conference, Gupta said his party had neither surrendered nor compromised on the constitutional rights of Jammu and Kashmir.
"We are pursuing a constitutional, democratic and sustained struggle to reclaim every right that has been taken away," he said.
Gupta said restoration of statehood was not the NC's final objective but "the first decisive step" towards its stated goal of seeking restoration of Articles 370 and 35-A and Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional autonomy.
"Our commitment is to the people, not to political opportunism," he said.

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