Srinagar, Sep 03: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Sunday appealed to the people in north Kashmir’s Sopore to give the party a fair chance in the upcoming elections.
“Today, I promise you that the Apni Party will not disappoint you if you entrust us with your mandate to serve you,” he said while addressing a public meeting in the Warpora area Sopore.
Bukhari promised that if Apni Party forms the government in J&K, it will leave no stone unturned to ensure the revival of Sopore’s past glory. “Today, with a lack of opportunities for our young generation and an increasing unemployment rate, we have no option but to rejuvenate our horticulture industry using modern and scientific methods. Only a strong economy will ensure a better future for our youth and the coming generations,” he said.
Bukhari added, “We all know that the people in Sopore chose to remain disconnected from mainstream political parties for the last three decades, aligning themselves with a specific ideology. However, I pose a question: What tangible benefits has this isolation brought to the people in this region, apart from bringing misery and bloodshed? More importantly, how long can the people of this area sustain this isolation without further harming their interests and rights?”
Urging people not to remain excluded from the governance system and the democratic process any longer, he said, “By remaining outside the governance system and not participating in the process of choosing the right people as your representatives, you are depriving yourself of a say in the democratic process.”
Regarding the economic potential of the Sopore region, he said, “The Almighty has bestowed tremendous potential for fruit crops in this region. Once upon a time, this region used to be called ‘Chota London’ (Mini London) because of its flourishing crops and prosperity. People here were well off due to its thriving orchards at that time. Later, the circumstances took a downturn for economic growth, and the area grappled with a lack of development and desirable prosperity.”
Taking a dig at the “opportunistic and deceptive politics” of regional political parties, the Apni Party chief said, “When Article 370 was revoked by the parliament, we had a bunch of members from parties like NC and PDP. Why didn’t they resist this move, or why didn’t they resign from the membership of the parliament to protest this devastating occurrence? Even (Ghulam Nabi) Azad Sahib, who now presents himself as a saviour of the rights of the J&K people, supported the abrogation as a leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha.”
