On Wednesday, Home Minister Amit Shah took a strong stance against Pakistan, declaring that while "certain people" supported discussions with the western neighbor, India would not do so and would instead communicate with the Kashmiri population. On the third day of his visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Shah delivered an ardent speech in Baramulla in which he attacked former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, and the Congress. He claimed that these political parties had provided a "red carpet" for Pakistani terrorists entering India before article 370 was repealed in August 2019.
Some suggest we should talk to Pakistan, Shah stated. Why should we communicate with Pakistan? We won't converse. The people of Baramulla and Kashmir will be the subjects of our conversations.
The Home Minister contrasted the "Gupkar model" with the BJP led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the differences between the two political systems that are in place in Kashmir. Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti are the leaders of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an alliance of six regional parties in Jammu and Kashmir that advocates for the reinstatement of Article 70 and the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir.