Srinagar, Sep 8: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Tuesday said that Jammu and Kashmir is passing through a “critical phase,” describing August 2019 as a major turning point when the Centre revoked the erstwhile state’s special constitutional status and stripped it of statehood.
He was speaking at an event organised at the party headquarters in Srinagar, where a number of prominent political and social activists joined the Apni Party. Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari and other senior party leaders warmly welcomed the new entrants on the occasion. All these new entrants hail from Srinagar’s Hazratbal constituency.
Addressing the gathering, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukahri said, “Unfortunately, our traditional leadership whom people have supported through their blood, sweat, and sacrifice over the past seventy years, chose to remain silent over the developments of August 5, 2019. This silence was deeply disappointing, especially because those developments were an attempt to distort our identity, dilute our culture, and change our demography.”
He went on to say, “Due to the changes made on August 5, J&K had lost its exclusive rights over land and jobs, meaning that anyone from any part of the country had become eligible to buy land and seek employment here. This posed the biggest threat to our identity and demography. Seeing the traditional leadership choose silence, we had no option but to step forward and do our best to protect the interests of our people. We went to Delhi, met with government leaders, and convinced them that the people of J&K should retain their exclusive rights over land and jobs here.”
“Thankfully, we succeeded in convincing the Centre, and eventually, an order was passed to restore exclusive rights of J&K people over the land and jobs here. It was for the first time in seventy years history that J&K managed to reclaim something that it had lost. This was Apni Party’s contribution at that critical juncture,” Mr Bukhari said.
Speaking about the domicile issue, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said that had the people given the Apni Party a mandate in the 2024 elections, “it would have extended the residency requirement from the existing 15 years to 50 years.”
“Six years have already passed, yet the present government does not even talk about this issue. They do not consider it a matter of any importance,” he said.
Giving a warm welcome to new entrants Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said, “It always gives me immense pleasure to welcome new members into Apni Party. Every time, I sincerely tell our new entrants that they will never be disappointed by this party.”
“Apni Party is a party that stands by its people and its workers. As you step forward to serve the people in your respective areas, I assure you that the entire leadership will stand shoulder to shoulder with you. We will support you, guide you, and remain with you through every challenge as you work for the welfare and betterment of the people,” he added.
The prominent among the new entrants included Ms Khair-ul-Nisa, Ghulam Mohammad Rather, Adil Fayaz, Fazil Fayaz, Waheeda Ji, Naira Bano, Gulshana Ji, Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, Sajid Fayaz, Asif Ali, Abdul Rashid, Owais Israr, Nayeema Rather, and others.
Besides Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, the prominent party leaders who were present on the occasion included party’s Vice President Haji Mohammad Syed Akhoon, Provincial President Kashmir Mohammad Ashraf Mir, State Secretary & Chief Spokesperson Muntazir Mohiudin, District President Srinagar & Constituency In-charge Central Shalteng Zaffar Habib, Provincial Secretary Kashmir Mohammad Saleem Lone, Organiser Central Kashmir Mohammad Shafi Mir, Constituency In-charge Hazratbal Mohammad Sidiq Mir, Constituency In-charge Zadibal Tehseen Farooq, Senior leader Riyaz Gani,Party leader Suhail Ahmad Wani, Party Leader Majid Pathan, Party Leader Aijaz Bukhari, and others. (KDC)
