‘Wave of change’ sweeping J&K, I’m seeing end to ‘Khandani Raj’: Altaf Bukhari

Kulgam, May 17: Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari on Friday asserted that a “wave of change” is underway in J&K, saying that the culmination of “dynasty rule” may initiate from north Kashmir and could be concluded in the south on May 25.
“Neither autonomy nor self-rule, which the parties were claiming to achieve, was actually realised. Post-1947, if anything significant was returned from Delhi, it was Altaf Bukhari who secured job rights and land security,” he said.
Bukhari welcomed the decision by Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) members to participate in the democratic process. “I would also like to congratulate the people of the Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency for their large turnout in the electoral process,” he said.
He termed the voter turnout in the Srinagar constituency as a victory for the Apni Party, saying, “I believe the people have understood the importance of voting.”
“Winning or losing is part of elections. However, we are hopeful that the next elections will also go well,” he added.
Regarding Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit, Bukhari said that he might have come for his own party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “Every leader comes for his party, just as I have come here (Kulgam) for mine,” he said.
“By the grace of Allah, a wave of change is happening in J&K. I was in north Kashmir the day before. In the past 8 to 10 years, the biggest gathering I’ve seen was yesterday, for (People’s Conference president) Sajad Gani Lone,” he said. “It looks like the culmination of dynastic politics may start from there. On May 25, the ‘Khandani Raj’ will be buried in the south.”
Addressing allegations that he is close to the BJP, the Apni Party chief said, “People should ask those who make these claims why, if I were so close to Delhi, did the three parties—PDP, NC, and Congress—decide to make me the Chief Minister in November 2018 after Mehbooba’s government was dissolved. These parties, with 58 members in the assembly, sent a fax to the Governor, though the machine was said to be non-functional. If I were Delhi’s man, why would these three parties have done this? Wouldn’t they have made Delhi’s man the Chief Minister then?” Bukhari questioned.