Jammu, Apr 10: Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari on Monday said that the people in Jammu and Valley are on the same page when it comes to the protection of their rights.
He emphasized that J&K’s land —whether property land, state land, kahcharai, forests, and others— mineral reserves, and other natural resources belong solely to the J&K people.
According to a statement issued by the party, Bukhari was addressing a well-attended party workers convention in the Sandoh area of Samba district in Jammu, wherein he received a rousing reception on his arrival at the venue.
Emphasizing the importance of unity and harmony among people of Jammu and Kashmir, regardless of their regional identities and religious affiliations, Bukhari stated that the conventional politicians have been attempting to divide us on the basis of region, religion, ethnicity, and other factors to gain power and remain in power for decades.
Over the past 70 years, these so-called politicians have driven people apart for their own political benefit, but the time has come when people of both the regions —Jammu and Valley— must bridge all the gaps and remain on is a single page in order to protect their legal, democratic, and political rights, he added.
Disputing the government’s claim that significant investments have been made in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years, Bukhari said they have not observed any influx of investments into the region. “If the government’s assertion that 70,000 crores have been invested in J&K were accurate, people would have seen the economic dividends including new employments.”
He said rather than providing job opportunities for the local population, outsiders are being given preference in the ongoing developmental projects. “Ideally, locals should have been given priority for employment opportunities, but we observe that everyone from contractors to laborers is being brought in from outside, as if we have a shortage of manpower here in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Urging New Delhi to hold assembly elections in J&K without a further delay, Altaf Bukhari said, “Selecting their own representatives to serve in the government is a fundamental democratic right that must not be denied to the people. We have faith in the democratic values of our country, and we aspire to the same rights that are enjoyed by people in other regions of the country.”
