Srinagar, Aug 28: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Friday said that “the abrogation of article 370 inflicted a deep wound into the emotions of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
He said that “Congress and BJP are equally responsible because Congress had already hollowed this article out over the years while BJP revoked it completely.”
He made these remarks today while addressing a public convention in Tral today. The event, organised by the party, attracted a large gathering of local people, besides party workers from across the town.
Apni Party leader further said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had a deep emotional attachment to Article 370, despite the fact that its provisions had already hollowed out and eroded over the decades.
“Article 370 provided constitutional protection to our land and jobs, and that is why, following its abrogation along with Article 35A on August 5, 2019, the Apni Party pursued the matter with the Centre and ensured that the people of J&K must retain exclusive rights over land and employment in J&K.
“We succeeded in convincing the Centre and protected these rights, resulting in the introduction of the domicile law,” he said.
However, Bukhari said that there is a need for a dialogue between the Centre and the people of Jammu and Kashmir to address their issues.
He said, “There is an urgent need to make New Delhi understand the importance of initiating a dialogue with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially the youth, to address their genuine issues and concerns. This is imperative to bridge the existing trust deficit.”
“Since the elected government has failed to address the pressing issues being faced by the people here, we will urge the Centre to engage directly with them to ensure that these issues are addressed effectively. We hope that our frequent appeals in this regard reach the Centre and that it initiates a dialogue with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, as it had promised,” he added.
He also take a dig at the ruling NC and said that this party has always prioritised its power on the interests of the people in Jammu and Kashmir.
He further said, “NC has never fulfilled the promises it has made to the people. Its poll promises are the most recent example of this. It sought votes by promising to provide one lakh jobs soon after assuming power. It had also promised 200 units of free electricity, free gas cylinders, the regularisation of daily wagers, and much more. However, all these promises have proved to be hollow and remain unfulfilled.”
He urged the people to rid themselves of these traditional parties, which have always misled and deceived them with false promises and emotional slogans.
He went on the say, “During its election campaign, the NC had claimed that, after assuming power, it would ensure the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A. However, it has now reduced its demand to the restoration of statehood alone. This is nothing but political drama, and they have always resorted to such tactics.”
In his speech, Bukhari also highlighted the local pressing issues that the people in Tral are facing.
He expressed grave concern over the lack of adequate facilities and infrastructure at local hospitals and schools.
He said, “I don’t know what the local MLA, who has been given the mandate to ensure that such issues are addressed, is doing. Since he is a public representative, he must ensure that these issues are properly addressed. He should speak to the concerned Minister, and if that doesn’t work, he must take the people who voted for him out in protest. This is not about anything personal; it is about the public mandate.”
Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said that “Tral has great potential for tourism, which, if properly explored and developed, can bring economic benefits to the local people and create much-needed employment opportunities for the youth.”
He said the area is blessed with abundant natural resources and scenic beauty, which should be utilised effectively for sustainable development, livelihood generation, and the overall prosperity of the local population.
Bukhari expressed concern over the arrests of youth and said that the Apni Party is continuously striving to ensure that random arrests are stopped and that those detained are released so that they can return to a normal life.
Talking about the Sikh community, Bukhari demanded political reservation for the community to ensure that its rights are fully protected. He said that the Sikh community has always stood shoulder to shoulder with the Muslim community, even during the most challenging times of violence and bloodshed in J&K.
Addressing the gathering, former Cabinet Minister and Apni Party Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir said that “Apni Party is a party of the masses and will always remain the voice of the people.”
He said this party will continue to raise genuine public issues and grievances with the concerned authorities to ensure their timely redressal.
He said, ““We are not here today to seek your votes, as there are no elections scheduled in the near future. We are here to tell you that Apni Party is truly a people’s party and will always stand by the people, no matter what. We need your support. Join hands with Apni Party and help strengthen it. Together, we can ensure that the rights and interests of our people are protected, while working collectively for sustained peace, prosperity, and development in Jammu and Kashmir.”
He further said, “The difference between Apni Party and the traditional political parties is that Apni Party focuses on genuine public issues and works to address the concerns of the people, while traditional parties continue to mislead and befool the public with false promises and emotional slogans.”
“Apni Party is here to prevent exploitative political forces from misleading our youth and pushing them towards a path of jails and graveyards. We envision a peaceful, prosperous, and dignified future for our youth—one where they have opportunities to grow, succeed, and contribute positively to the future of Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
On this occasion, NC worker Karan Singh, PDP worker Mohammad Amin, Social Activist Muzafar Bhat, Mohammad Younis Dar from congress joined Apni Party. The party leaders greeted these new entrants into the party fold.
Besides Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari and Ghulam Hassan Mir, the prominent party leaders who were present on the occasion included party’s Chief Spokesperson & State Secretary Muntazir Mohiudin, District President Kupwara Raja Manzoor, State organisation & Spokesperson Dr Harbaksh Singh, District President Budgam Advocate Owais Ashraf Shah, District Vice President Pulwama Sofi Akbar, District Vice President Pulwama Abdul Qayoom Mir, Secretary Pulwama District Syeed Tajala Andrabi, Youth President District Pulwama Junaid Mir, Abdul Rahman Gojir, Ghulam Hassan Goursi, Ghulam Hassan Choupan, Abdul Majid, Rashid Gojir, Youth Leaders Huq Nawaz, Zahid Bhat, Sajad Naikoo, Bita, Imtiyaz Mulvi, Irfan, Junaid, Javeed,Amir Reshi, Asif, Nirmal Singh, Abdul Rashid, Lucky Singh, Mohammad Shafi, Gul Dar, Shabir Baba, Yusuf Gojir, Mushtaq , Nund Kak, Bashir Ahamed , Jangi Singh, and others.
