Srinagar, May 8 (RNA) : Apni Party President, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, on Wednesday, said that the local residents should have the first right on the natural resources in Jammu and Kashmir. He said Apni Party, when gets the public mandate to serve, will take a range of initiatives aimed at fostering the economic empowerment of the people of Jammu and Kashmir while effectively utilizing its natural resources.
He also pledged that the Apni Party will ensure that those hundreds of victims who were showered with pellets during the PDP's tenure in 2016 receive government assistance for their lifetime.
He made these commitments today while addressing public rallies in Ganderbal and Kangan. These vibrant events were part of the party’s ongoing campaign for the Lok Sabha polls. At both places, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari and his accompanying party leaders received a warm welcome from the people and party functionaries.
Taking a dig at the family parties, specifically NC and PDP, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said that these parties never allowed democracy to flourish in J&K over the past seven decades.
He said, “These dynastic parties never allowed democracy to flourish here during the past seventy years. Unfortunately, New Delhi also permitted these parties to establish autocracy under the guise of democracy.”
“NC has broken all records of hypocrisy since its inception in the 1930s. For political gains, its leadership went to the extent of even changing the very name of the party, originally from Muslim Conference to National Conference, solely to appease leaders in Delhi, who awarded them the government in J&K after 1947,” he said, adding, “However, just a few years later in 1953, when NC's government was dismissed, its leaders resorted to raising the slogan of ‘Raishumari’ to exert pressure on New Delhi. And when Delhi offered them the government back after 22 years, they happily buried their so-called ‘Raishumari’ movement even accepting the post of CM instead of PM, and happily aligned themselves with the same Congress whose leaders and workers they used to call 'the worm of the gutter'.”
Lashing out at the PDP, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari recalled, “When this party was established, its founder leader claimed that he believed in democratic values and was against family rule. However, upon his passing, he did not forget to pass the reins of the party to his daughter, who is now grooming her own daughter to perpetuate the legacy of dynastic rule.”
He further said, “In the 2014 assembly elections, the PDP sought votes from the people, promising that it would keep the BJP out of power in Jammu and Kashmir. People trusted the party leaders and gave them a mandate. However, to the utter shock of the public, they disregarded the public mandate by forging a coalition with the same BJP.”
“During the three-year tenure of this government, hundreds of people, mostly children, were killed and thousands injured, including about seven hundred boys and girls with pellet injuries. The leader of the party even tried to justify these killings by heartlessly remarking, ‘Kiya ye bachay chocolates aur doodh lene niklay thay’ (Had these children come out of their homes to fetch chocolates and milk for themselves). These ruthless words will always haunt people in Kashmir.”
Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said that he wonders to see the leaders of these parties come to the people seeking votes. He said, “I wonder where they get the courage to face the people and seek their votes even after their hands are stained with the blood of innocents.”
“Even the Home Minister of the country recently revealed that the unknown gunmen responsible for the killings here were actually affiliated with parties such as NC, PDP, and Congress,” he added.
Apni Party leader appealed to the people to reject the traditional parties and their leaders through the power of their votes. He urged them to strengthen the Apni Party, enabling it to implement its agenda for peace, prosperity, and development in Jammu and Kashmir. He appealed for their support and vote for Mohammad Ashraf Mir, who is the party's candidate for Lok Sabha polls.
Besides Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, the prominent party leaders were present at both the venues included the party's Provincial President and the party candidate for the Lok Sabha in Srinagar Mohammad Ashraf Mir, District President Kupwara Raja Manzoor, General Secretary of the party's ST Wing Khalid Badana, Provincial joint Secretary Javaid Ahmad Mir, Provincial Secretary Najeeb Naqvi, State Convenor Haji Parvez Ahmad, Senior Leader Saqib Makhdoomi, Provincial President of the party’s ST Wing, Rafiq Balot, Block Coordinator Abdul Ahad Mir, District President Women's Wing Rafeeqa Iqbal, Bashir Ahmad Tendwa, Nazir Ahmad Mir, Atta Mohammad, Ikram Chaudhary, Abdul Rashid Teli, Nazir Ahmad Chechi, Sajad Ahmad, Abdul Rashid Gannai, Farooq Ahmad, Chaudhary Shaheen Bajaad, and others.