Srinagar, May 2 (RNA) : Apni Party President, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, on Thursday, said that the leaders of both the NC and the PDP desire to continue their family rule in Jammu and Kashmir. However, he expressed hope that the people will not allow the Abdullahs and Muftis to exploit them any longer. He made these remarks while addressing a public rally in south Kashmir’s Shopian today. The event was part of the party’s ongoing campaign for the Lok Sabha polls. The party’s Vice President, Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, also addressed the rally.
Addressing the rally, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said, “Over the decades, the traditional parties, especially the two family-based parties, have divided Jammu and Kashmir like Rajwadas to rule the people. Both the family parties, NC and PDP, were in consensus to stay at the helm of affairs alternatively. But things have now changed. They can no longer fool people through their deceptive narratives and fake promises. I am sure that their era has ended, and people will reject both political dynasties through the power of their vote.”
Urging people not to fall prey to the deceptive slogans and fake promises by the NC and PDP, the Apni Party president said, “They are trying to allure you again through deceptive promises. Earlier, they used to take your votes, promising to ensure things like ‘Raishumari,’ ‘Autonomy,’ and ‘Self-rule.’ Now, since these promises are things of the past and Article 370 has been abrogated, they are trying to convince you that they will restore the abrogated Article. They have been misleading you for years, even decades. Tell them that 'enough is enough.' Reject them through the power of your vote.”
Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari promised people that the Apni Party if given the mandate to serve, would take Jammu and Kashmir to new heights of peace, prosperity, and development.
He said, “We do not raise any misleading political slogans, nor do we promise you the moon and stars. Our primary agenda is to ensure permanent peace, enduring prosperity, and equitable development across Jammu and Kashmir. To achieve this, we have a clear-cut vision and roadmap for the development of every area in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Speaking specifically about Shopian, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari promised that the Apni Party, once given a public mandate to serve, will transform Shopian into a modern city.
He said, “I have a clear vision for the development of this beautiful place. Apni Party’s government will not waste a single day in speeding up the completion of the Mughal Road tunnel. This tunnel will not only improve Shopian's connectivity, making it easier to transport fruit to outside markets, but it will also shorten the distance between sub-regions and establish these roads as all-weather roads. Furthermore, we will build tourism infrastructure here to create employment opportunities for local youth. We will also ensure that daily wagers in various government departments are regularised.”
He added, “I know that orchardists here are unable to afford refrigerated vehicles to ferry the fruit to outside markets, thus facing losses as the perishable fruit sometimes gets spoiled during transportation. Apni Party’s government will ensure a 50 percent subsidy in the fare charges of refrigerated vehicles. Also, I promise you that our government will ensure the waiver of the due interest amount on the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to provide relief to the people.”
Apni Party's President reiterated the party's intention to provide 500 units of free electricity to domestic consumers across Jammu and Kashmir. He also stated that his government would provide relief to people living below the poverty line by addressing their outstanding electricity bills.
Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari promised that his government would ensure the return of jailed youth to their homes, allowing them to resume their normal lives with their families.
Addressing the rally, Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, the party’s candidate for the Lok Sabha polls in the Rajouri-Anantnag constituency, said, “Unlike traditional parties, I will never mislead you and seek your votes by claiming that these elections are for political interests such as autonomy and azadi. To me, these elections are solely for development and prosperity. I assure you that I will leave no stone unturned to ensure the well-being of my people and the development of this place.”
He said that parties like the NC and PDP have been deceiving people for years and decades through emotional sloganeering. Both parties are responsible for the killings and bloodshed in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2010, when the NC was at the helm, more than a hundred people, mostly children, were killed here. And in 2016, more than a hundred children were killed, and dozens of boys and girls were blinded by the use of pellet guns.
“I wonder how these parties and their leaders muster the courage to face the people and seek their votes despite their role in the deaths and destruction on this land. It is your responsibility to reject them through your vote. Don’t allow them to exploit you further.”
Besides Mr Bukhari and Manhas, the prominent party leaders who were present on the occasion included the party's spokesperson and DDC Vice Chairman Irfan Manhas, District Vice President Mohammad Ahsan Paul, District Secretary Shopian Advocate Mohammad Tanveer, Vice President District Shopian and DDC Kalr Chaudhry Fazal Din, Block President Aijaz Ahmad Mir, Block President Mohammad Ahsan Dar, Block President Abdul Qayoom Dar, Zakir Ahmad Chalak, Choudhary Shabir, Tanveer Rather, Mohammad Ashraf, Mohammad Yaqoob Mallah, Choudhary Aziz, Zhoudhary Nazir Ahmad, Shabir Ahmad, Shahid Shafi, the party's IT head and in charge of social media department Owais Mushtaq Khan, Mushtaq Sahib, Manzoor Andrabi, Mohammad Yousuf, and others.