Taking a cue from Ladakh, we must ensure Jammu and Kashmir’s genuine issues are addressed by the Centre through talks
JK News Today
Srinagar: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari today said, “We saw that in Ladakh, all parties joined hands for the interests of Ladakh, and the Centre was forced to initiate a dialogue with them to address their aspirations.”
“Taking a cue from Ladakh, all political parties must unite to compel the Centre to initiate a dialogue with the people and political parties to address the issues of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He said it is imperative that the Centre starts a dialogue with the people of Jammu and Kashmir to resolve their genuine issues and grievances. He said that the Apni Party will support any such attempt if it is made.
He was addressing a workers’ convention today in Samba, Jammu.
He demanded the immediate holding of ULB and Panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir. He said these elections are important for strengthening grassroots-level democracy and ensuring that people elect their own representatives to address their local issues at the grassroots level.
Speaking on public issues and the elected government’s failure to address them, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said that people failed to assess the merit and capability of candidates during the 2024 Assembly elections.
He said, “Unfortunately, many people in Jammu and Kashmir tend to vote either on the basis of political dynasties or religious affiliations. This is why one particular party won 29 seats in Jammu, while another secured 42 seats in the Valley. Both parties, in different ways, misled and allured voters in the name of religion.”
He went on to say, “However, elections in J&K were not always like this. In the past, people did not vote along communal or religious lines. Even in 1947, when the entire subcontinent was engulfed in communal hatred and violence during Partition, Jammu and Kashmir stood out as a place where such hatred was largely absent. Gandhi himself praised J&K at that time, saying that amid the darkness of Partition, he saw a “ray of hope” (Roshni ki Kiran) only in Jammu and Kashmir.”
“However, the BJP extinguished this “Roshni ki Kiran” in 2024 assembly elections here,” Mr Bukhari added.
Taking a dig at the ruling NC, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said that the party had misled people during the elections with false promises and lies.
He asked, “Where are the 200 units of free electricity that the NC had promised to the people during its election campaign? What happened to the one lakh jobs that the party had said it would provide soon after taking charge of the government? What happened to its commitment to regularise daily wagers? Nearly two years have already passed since the party came to power. Where are the free cooking gas cylinders and the additional ration quota that were promised to the people before the election?”
“These were all lies meant to allure and mislead voters,” He remarked.
Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari also launched a sharp criticism of the Central Government over its the Industrial Development Package for Jammu and Kashmir unveiled in 2021.
“We were told that the Industrial Development Package for Jammu and Kashmir, worth Rs 28,400 crore, would usher in sustainable development and create large-scale employment opportunities. The scheme promised massive subsidies for new manufacturing and service-sector enterprises. However, the reality is that out of the Rs 28,400 crore package, nearly Rs 19,500 crore in subsidies has reportedly been granted to just 22 industrialists from outside Jammu and Kashmir.”
“This has failed to generate meaningful employment opportunities for local youth, as many of these industrialists even brought labourers from outside the Union Territory,” Apni Party chief said.
Speaking on the occasion, the party’s Provincial President, Manjit Singh, took a dig at the government, accusing it of failing on every front. He said “The NC government is completely insensitive to the interests of the people. Had it genuinely cared about safeguarding public interests, it would have extended the residency requirement for domicile from the current 15 years to 50 years. The government has the authority and powers to do so, but it has chosen not to act.”
“The reality is that the NC and the BJP are hand in glove with each other. Both parties are concerned only with their own political and personal dividends. There appears to be an understanding between them — the NC criticises the BJP in the Valley, while the BJP targets the NC in Jammu. In truth, both are merely pursuing their own interests,” Singh said.
Besides the Party President and the Provincial President, other prominent leaders who were present on the occasion or addressed the gathering included Provincial Vice President Shah Mohamed Tantray; District President Samba Raman Thapa; Provincial Vice Presidents Saleem Alam and Arun Chhibber; Provincial Secretaries Ajaz Kazmi and Balbir Singh Baba; senior leader Bodh Raj Bhagat; Provincial Women Wing President Pavneet Kour; Party Spokesperson Advocate Sahil Bharti; Kishan Wing President Badri Sharma; Babu Ram; Makhan; Farooq Chouhan; Vaibhav Mattoo; Neelam Gupta; Mohammad Arif; Ritu Pandita; Vicky Sudan; Vishal Jyotshi; G.L. Pandita; Joginder; Yash Choudhary; Dalbir Singh; Inder Paul Singh; District President Rural Jammu and Samba District and Jammu District party workers.
