People should not be deprived of the right to have an elected government: Altaf Bukhari

Says, exciting public response to Apni Party’s outreach campaign indicates that people yearn for statehood restoration and their empowerment in terms of their right to elect a democratic government.

Apni Party holds an enthusiastic public rally at Khaipora in Tangmarg

Srinagar August 11  : Emphasizing on immediate assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Thursday said that the enthusiastic public response to the party’s ongoing outreach campaign indicates that people want restoration of statehood and immediate elections here.

He was addressing an enormous public rally, thronged by men and women of all age groups, at Khaipora village of north Kashmir’s Tangmarg today.

According to a press statement issued here, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari while demanding immediate assembly elections here said that “People should not be deprived of their political empowerment, in terms of their right to elect their own government in J&K.”

He added, “During our ongoing public outreach campaign, I have observed that people desperately want to elect their own representatives to form a government here.”

Explaining his agenda and vision for J&K Apni Party President said, “We want political and economic empowerment of J&K people, and we have a clear vision to realize this dream; political and economic empowerment to the people will eventually augur J&K everything that matters to it and its people, especially the youth.”

Reiterating his promises Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said, “If we get a mandate from J&K people in forthcoming elections, we will ensure the economic dividends reach each and every soul on this land. Our focus will be to empower the common people, who have suffered hugely due to the protracted conflict and bloodshed here, over the years.”

He elaborated, “As we know, despite the huge potential for generating electricity in J&K, the high-priced power breaks the backbone of poor masses here. Thus, we have resolved that we will provide up to 500 units of electricity free in winter months to the Valley consumers, and the same amount of free power to people in Jammu during summers, and 300 units of free electricity to the people in the Valley in summers and to Jammu people in winters.”

He further said, “Similarly, we have decided to enhance the present Rs 50,000 marriage assistance to the girls up to one lakh rupees, and the monthly widow and old age pension up to rupees five thousand from existing one thousand rupees.” “Also, we will give four free gas refills annually to every household in J&K.” He added.

Apni Party President assured people that his party would strive for the restoration of rights to J&K and its people. He said, “We will do everything to ensure all the rights are restored to the people here.”

Taking a dig at the political dynasties of J&K, he said, “The families who have been ruling here for years and decades are still trying to exploit innocent people for their own political gains.”

He explained it further, “The political exploitation by the traditional parties and their leaders was started from the very beginning in 1947. Pre 47 they would tell people that they want to liberate them from the tyranny of the Dogra regime, but immediately after 47, they started their own tyrannical rule here. The then leader grabbed the power corridors even in undemocratic means by becoming selected Administrator soon after the independence.”

“Earlier there was only one political family that ruled us tyrannically here; now they are two, and both hand in glove with each other. Now they formed an alliance (People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration) to fool people that they will get back 370 which was abrogated on August 5, 2019.” He added.

Referring to history, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said that “At one point in time, when a political family was ousted from power, it started ‘Plebiscite movement’ to take advantage of public emotions, but after 22 years when the same family was offered power again, it quit its movement saying the so-called movement was just Awaragardi (roving without any clear destination).”

He quickly added, “But, the time has now changed, they cannot make people fool all the time, thus PAGD has to come clean about its strategy. People will not wait for another 22 years now, to hear only that they were just roving.”

Besides Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, the prominent leaders and party functionaries who were present at the rally include Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir, General Secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir, State Vice President for the party’s youth wing and DDC member (Tangmarg) Advocate Mir Tajamul Ishfaq, DDC member (Kunzar) Sheikh Nazir, Tariq Mohiuddin, State Coordinator youth outreach, BDC member (Kunzar) Beigh Aftab, BDC member (Wailoo) Mohammad Akbar, District Vice President Asadullah, Youth leaders Javaid Iqbla, Dilshad Ahmad, Manzoor Ahmad, Mir Hilal, Naseer Ahmad, and others.(KNS)