Srinagar, Sep 27, KDC: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Sunday said the ruling National Conference (NC) would be responsible if any demographic change takes place in Jammu and Kashmir, questioning the government over the purchase of land by outside entities for proposed projects in Srinagar.
Addressing a public meeting at Natipora in Srinagar’s Chanapora constituency, Bukhari directly questioned Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over who had allowed a Mumbai-based person identified as Chawla to purchase land for a hotel in Syedpora and a Delhi-based company to acquire 150 kanals in Chatterhama, Hazratbal. He questioned whether such transactions were permissible under the existing domicile laws of Jammu and Kashmir.
Bukhari also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate direct talks with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, saying the prevailing “trust deficit” would continue until meaningful engagement takes place between the Centre and the people, particularly the youth.
He said issues including police verification, employment and the detention of young people needed to be addressed, asserting that these concerns could not be ignored if the trust deficit was to be bridged.
Taking a dig at the NC government, Bukhari alleged that two years after coming to power, it had failed to fulfil its election promises. He also criticised the government over disruptions in the J&K Assembly and said people had expected concrete measures on employment, detainees, free electricity and free gas cylinders.
Bukhari also raised issues concerning Srinagar’s downtown areas, including housing shortages, inadequate infrastructure and unemployment, and highlighted problems related to water supply and public infrastructure in the Chanapora constituency.
Apni Party Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir said people had voted enthusiastically in the 2024 elections expecting an elected government to bridge the gap between the administration and the public. He alleged that people now felt a sense of hopelessness over unemployment and the alleged non-fulfilment of election promises.
Mir also questioned the government over its election promises concerning free electricity, gas cylinders, additional ration quota, restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, and statehood. (KDC)
