Says politicians kept people engaged with emotional slogans and unachievable goals
Srinagar, Mar 13 : Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari has said that New Delhi too is responsible for encouraging dynasty politics in Jammu and Kashmir in the past; the political families, to attain power and remain in power, kept people busy with unachievable goals and emotional slogans here.
He was addressing a workers’ convention at Qamaria Ground in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal, wherein people and party cadre gave him a rousing reception on his arrival at the venue.
Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari blamed conventional mainstream political parties for creating a mess in Jammu and Kashmir over the years, by setting unachievable goals for the people. He said, “Over the past more than 70 years, the traditional political parties belonging to certain families have been playing with the emotions of the common people to maintain a hold on power here. The power-hungry politicians also kept changing their narratives with the passage of time. First, they befooled people on the name of the so-called plebiscite front for more than two decades, and later, buried the same ‘movement’ for the sake of power in 1975. Then, they vowed that they will get things like autonomy and self-rule for Jammu and Kashmir. Later, they started harping that they are protectors of things like Article 370 and 35A. Now the same politicians are trying to exploit people and gain electoral benefits by saying that they will get the abrogated Article 370 back.”
He added, “These ruthless politicians never meant what they said. They only wanted to get a hold on power and create riches for their families. And, even now, their only goal is to attain power.”
“Why did they bury the so-called plebiscite movement, if they were sincere about it; why did they not try to get promised ‘autonomy’ for J&K even after having a two-thirds majority in the Assembly in the 1996 elections; why did they not raise their voice against August 5, 2019 occurrences even after holding all the three parliament seats from the Valley; and why didn’t they do anything to get abrogated Article 370 and 35A back even after creating a so-called alliance —PAGD — three years ago?” He asked.
Reiterating Apni Party’s narrative, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said, “Unlike traditional politicians, we are not hypocrites. We always speak our hearts out whether in Srinagar, in Jammu, or in Delhi. We don’t change or modify our narrative in changing scenarios.”
“Apni Party believes the Jammu and Kashmir is destined to remain with India as the leader of that time had decided it in 1947. We are not Indian because we have Indian Army here. We are Indian because we have chosen to be.” He added.
On this occasion, the party’s Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir taking a dig at the traditional political parties, said, “These parties made innocent people sacrifice and suffer for years in the name of unachievable goals and emotional slogans. We got lakhs of people either jailed or buried in the graveyards over the years only because of the misleading politics of the traditional parties and their leaders.”
Urging people to use their vote wisely in the forthcoming elections, Ghulam Hassan Mir said, “You must understand that those who have been deceiving you for years and decades cannot be your well-wishers. You must elect the representatives who are among you.”
He also cautioned people not to boycott the polls as they used to do in the past. He said, “The boycott politics has always added your miseries because your poll boycott paves the way for the traditional politicians to get elected. If you want a real change in the political scenario then you must come out of your homes to cast your vote in favor of someone who would be accessible and answerable to after winning the elections.”
Addressing the gathering, Party’s Provincial President, Kashmir, Mohammad Ashraf Mir asserted that Apni Party has a clear vision about the better future of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said, “Apni Party has a clear vision and roadmap to ensure political and economic empowerment of J&K people. Once we get mandated to form a Govt here, we will take initiative, which will ensure prosperity to the people and a dignified future to our youth.”
He urged the people to strengthen Apni Party in order to enable to it to implement its vision. He said, “We need your support so that we will be able to realize our dream for a better future of J&K. We will ensure peace, prosperity and the development here.”
Prominent party leaders who were present on the occasion, included Provincial President of the party’s Women Wing Dilshada Shaheen, District President Ganderbal Javaid Ahmad Mir, BDC Shabir Ahmad, Farooq Ahmad, Block President Gulzar Ahmad, Constituency in Charge Ganderbal Sheikh Javaid, Constituency In charge Kangan Nazir Ahmad, Ishfaq Ahmad Wagay, Arshad Hussain, Fayaz Ahmad, Mohammad Amin, Sheikh Sakeena, Altaf Ahmad Sofi, Sheikh Farhad, Rafeeqa Ji, Touseef Ahmad Sheikh, and others.
