Srinagar, Novr 18, KDC: Apni Party on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the recent car blast near Red Fort in New Delhi, terming it a “horrific act” and demanding the toughest punishment for those involved. At the same time, the party urged the central government to examine the underlying causes driving even well-educated individuals toward radicalisation, saying these issues must be addressed to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The observations were made during the party’s working committee meeting chaired by Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari at the party headquarters in Sheikh Bagh, Srinagar. The meeting reviewed major political, economic, and social issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir.
At the outset, the participants observed a two-minute silence to honour those who lost their lives in the Delhi blast and in last week’s accidental explosion at Nowgam Police Station.
In a resolution adopted during the meeting, Apni Party strongly condemned the Delhi blast and expressed solidarity with the families of the victims. The party also voiced grief over the Nowgam incident, demanding adequate compensation for the deceased, injured, and residents whose homes were damaged, along with an inquiry to ascertain the cause of the explosion.
Expressing alarm over reports of white-collar involvement in the Delhi blast, the party said tackling terrorism requires firmness, but preventing radicalisation demands meaningful engagement with the public. It urged the Centre to identify and address the root causes driving educated youth into extremist networks.
Significantly, the party said that a mistrust exists between New Delhi and the people of Jammu and Kashmir, warning that such a gap “only creates space for violent activities to grow.” It called upon the central government to fulfil its commitment—made by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister—to reach out to the people and initiate dialogue without delay.
The meeting also deliberated on what the party described as rising inflation, unemployment, and governance failures in J&K. The leadership criticised the administration for not delivering on its promise of providing one lakh jobs within six months and said that key sectors such as horticulture, handicrafts, agriculture, and tourism are struggling.
Referring to the recent Budgam bypolls, Apni Party leaders said the results reflected a “punishment vote” against governance failures, rather than support for any specific party or candidate.
The party outlined a four-point programme aimed at improving governance capacity, reviving the economy, strengthening natural sectors like horticulture and tourism, and ensuring participatory governance. It also reiterated its demand for immediate Panchayat and ULB elections, regularisation of daily wagers, reforms in the reservation system, and an employment drive for educated youth.
Concluding the meeting, the leadership said Jammu and Kashmir is at a “delicate stage of transition” and requires farsighted leadership to steer it away from economic distress and security vulnerabilities. (KDC)
