Apni party celebrates foundation day
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 8: The Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party president, Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari, today said that they will not hesitate to hit the streets, if New Delhi fails to restore the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference on the occasion of first foundation day anniversary of J&K Apni party at Srinagar, Bukhari said that much was promised in 1947, but nothing was given back. “We have to fight for the restoration of statehood to J&K. Our demand also is to hold Assembly elections as soon as possible,” he said.
Click here to watch video
The Apni Party chief said the agenda framed by the Apni Party on the day of its birth was pursued in letter and spirit but certain things like prolonged shutdown in the wake of Article 370 revocation and slicing of erstwhile state of J&K into two UTs followed by COVID-19 outbreak, the party couldn’t pursue its manifesto the way it should have been.
“Nevertheless, we did our best and didn’t sit in our homes. We didn’t either show hollow dreams to people of J&K and never promised something that is not achievable,” Bukhari said.
Asked why he is not demanding restoration of special status, Bukhari said that he can’t make false promises as it was the Parliament of India that can restore special status to J&K. “I would like to make it clear that August 5, 2019 was the darkest day in the history of J&K that nobody will forget. We will strive hard for restoration of Statehood to J&K and if Delhi delays it, we will not hesitate to hit the streets,” he said.
Bukhari highlighted the Apni Paty’s achievements in the past one year and stated that getting the job policy order where youth of J&K were entitled for only Class fourth jobs, reversed was the party’s biggest achievement.
“There are other issues which we are pursuing like 15 years for becoming a domicile of J&K. We are also aware of the ploys as to how J&K Bank was weakened by stripping off its autonomy. This institution is our backbone and we will continue to fight for restoration of its autonomy,” he said.
Demanding early Assembly polls, Bukhari said that if Apni Party is voted to power, it will take historic steps especially making 25 years mandatory for becoming the domicile of the State.
In Jammu to celebrate the Party’s first Foundation day as well as International Women’s Day was organized at Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust, Channi Himmat.
“J&K has been disempowered with the snatching of Statehood from the people of erstwhile State which has a long history. It was unfortunate. We do not support the downgrading of J&K to a Union Territory. Party has never accepted it,” said senior vice president, Ghulam Hassan Mir.
Mir was speaking before the thousands of jubilant leaders and workers on the completion of one year to the party’s foundation.
Besides, hundreds of Party’s leaders and workers Aijaz Ahmed Khan, Vijay Bakaya, Vikram Malhotra, Manjit Singh, Syed Asgar Ali, Namrta Sharma, Madan Lal Chalotra, Bodh Raj Bhagat, Ajaz Kazmi, Pranav Shagotra, Raqeeq Ahmed Khan,
and others were present on the occasion.
“The Govt should not ignore J&K by extending Lt Governor’s Rule in the erstwhile State where unemployment has increased and industrial sector has been suffering badly,” said Mir.
Mir said that Apni Party was founded on March 8, 2020 and on this day International Women’s Day is also being celebrated.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
