JK News Today
Srinagar, June 2: Apni Party Chief Spokesperson and State Secretary Muntazir Mohiuddin on Tuesday said that the idea of political unity in the larger interest of the people of Jammu and Kashmir was originally advocated by his party.
“The proposal for unity in the larger interest of the people of Jammu and Kashmir is essentially the brainchild of the Apni Party, and we have been appealing for it,” Muntazir said.
He made it clear that the Apni Party would welcome and support any genuine initiative, regardless of who initiates it, as long as it serves the interests and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He made these remarks while speaking to reporters at the party headquarters in Srinagar.
He said, “Despite the fact that Mehbooba Mufti excluded the Apni Party from her proposal, given her history of undermining political unity, we still welcome the initiative.”
Muntazir went on to say, “Everyone is aware that Apni Party has consistently urged all political parties to come together and collectively advocate for the rights of Jammu and Kashmir before the Central Government. We have always maintained that all parties should unite and jointly meet the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Hon’ble Home Minister to present and pursue the legitimate aspirations and genuine demands of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Muntazir recalled that the party’s call for collective political engagement received a positive response only once, when National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah announced an all-party meeting in the year 2023.
“Unfortunately, that meeting was postponed the very next day and never took place thereafter, despite the urgent need for a united political voice,” he added.
Referring to a public convention held in Jammu on May 24, Muntazir said, “Recently, Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, while addressing a public convention in Jammu, emphasised that we must draw inspiration from the leadership of Ladakh and Kargil, who set aside their differences, engaged collectively with the Centre, and succeeded in securing significant gains for their people.”
Highlighting the unparalleled contribution of Apni Party after the centre abrogated Article 370 and 35A, Muntazir said, “It was the Apni Party that played a decisive role in protecting the land and job rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir following New Delhi’s abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. At a time when there was neither a Legislative Assembly nor an elected government in place, we took the initiative to engage directly with the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Hon’ble Home Minister in New Delhi.”
“Through our efforts and engagement, we succeeded in ensuring that the exclusive rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir over land ownership and government employment were protected and retained,” he added.
Slamming Mehbooba Mufti for omitting the Apni Party while appealing for political unity, he said, “We are not surprised by Mehbooba Mufti’s decision to exclude the Apni Party. Her political record reflects a pattern of fostering divisions rather than building consensus among political parties and stakeholders.”
“At a time when unity is essential for effectively advocating the interests of Jammu and Kashmir, such exclusionary politics serves no constructive purpose. The decision to leave out the Apni Party appears to be a continuation of the same approach that has, over the years, undermined broader political unity in the region,” he added.
Despite the criticism, Muntazir reiterated that the Apni Party welcomes any initiative of unity, and it supports any genuine effort aimed at creating unity among political parties for the restoration of J&K’s rights.
