Srinagar, Aug 13: Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Sunday urged the Central government not to deprive the people of J&K of their constitutional right to choose their own representatives for governing the region.
Reiterating his demand for immediate assembly polls in J&K, he pledged that if Apni Party receives a public mandate, it will deliver corruption-free and transparent governance to the people here.
Bukhari was addressing a workers’ convention in the Humhama area on the outskirts of Srinagar. The event was primarily organized to welcome prominent political and social figures from the area into the Apni Party, the party said in a statement issued here, adding that the new entrants included Mukhtar Ahmad Dar, Chairman of the FM Group of Companies, and Ali Mohammad Malik, a social activist from Soibug.
Addressing the gathering, Bukhari emphasised that the Apni Party is committed to guiding people towards a future marked by peace, prosperity, and development.
He asserted, “Our agenda is clear and straightforward. We aspire for peace, prosperity, and development in Jammu and Kashmir, ensuring that its residents attain economic and political empowerment. We do not believe in deceptive political slogans, as we do not believe in a politics of falsehoods and empty promises. Our commitment is to maintain honesty with our people. We will always tell the truth, even if it’s bitter and even if being truthful doesn’t yield us political dividends.”
“The truth is that Jammu and Kashmir is destined to be with India. However, we aspire to lead a dignified and prosperous life, enjoying all the rights that the country’s constitution guarantees us. The reality is that we have been deprived of many of these rights, and New Delhi has inflicted certain wounds upon us,” he said. “But I firmly believe that the solutions to all these problems will also come from New Delhi, not from anywhere else.”
Expressing deep concern over the prevailing drug menace in the valley, the Apni Party chief urged the people to play their part in eradicating this social evil. “We have lost countless young individuals to violence and conflict over the past three decades, and now many from our new generation are falling victim to drugs. We cannot afford further devastation and casualties. Our youth are our future, thus, it is our individual and collective responsibility to eradicate the growing drug abuse in our society,” he said.
