Srinagar, Sep 09: Urging New Delhi to uphold the constitutional rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, including their right to choose their own representatives to serve, Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Sunday called for the immediate holding of assembly elections here without further delay.
Speaking at a public rally in Anantnag town in south Kashmir on Sunday, Bukhari reiterated his demand for immediate holding of assembly elections in J&K. “I urge New Delhi not to deprive the people of Jammu and Kashmir of their constitutional right to choose their own representatives. Given the long-standing turmoil and instability in J&K, it is imperative to uphold the constitutional rights of the people to strengthen democracy and democratic values in the region,” he said.
Asking people not to fall prey to the traditional parties, especially those who have dynasties and their leaders, the Apni Party president said, “These political dynasties were responsible for eroding the region’s political and constitutional status much before the BJP government finally abrogated Article 370 on August 5, 2019. They have been complacent in harming the interests of this region and its people over the course of years and decades.”
Altaf Bukhari promised that if Apni Party gets public mandate in the upcoming assembly elections to serve the people, it would transform J&K’s socio-political and economic scenario for the better. “Apni Party is committed to protecting the social, political, and economic rights of the people of J&K. We are determined to bring about positive change as we know that the constitution of our country provides people with all the rights and opportunities required to live a dignified and prosperous life,” he said.
“We have a clear vision to implement measures that will bring economic benefits to the people here. We will tackle the rising unemployment by harnessing our region’s abundant natural resources and opportunities, thereby paving the path to economic prosperity for our people,” he added.
He promised that Apni Party’s government would ensure the regularisation of hundreds of thousands of daily wagers working in various government departments. “We will restore the centuries-old practice of ‘Darbar Move’; we will revise the New Mining Policy to ensure that local communities retain the rights to extract minerals from water bodies; and we will implement measures to control the sale and distribution of liquor in localities across the valley,” he said.
However, Bukhari requested that the people contribute their efforts to ensure sustainable peace in Jammu and Kashmir. “We must protect our young generation and provide them with new hopes and opportunities for a better and prosperous life. Therefore, a peaceful and harmonious environment in Jammu and Kashmir is an absolute necessity, and we must contribute to it,” he said.
