Suhail Bhat
The Apni party candidate for Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, today said that after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) support to his party, wind is blowing in his favour.
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In an exclusive interview to Excelsior, Manhas said that after the support of the saffron party, the dice in the constituency is loaded in Apni Party favour.
“The BJP has not fielded its candidate and has also spoken out against dynasty politics. …they then extended support to the Apni Party, which I wholeheartedly welcome. When we consider all these factors, it is evident that the wind is blowing in our favour,” he said.
The Apni Party leader said that Paharis are with them as they have promised the BJP that if they are given reservation in jobs, they will vote for the BJP.
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“This time, Paharis have made an agreement with the Government of India, the BJP, that if they get a reservation, they will support them. The BJP has promised to ensure rights without infringing on the rights of Gujjars. They (BJP) have kept their promise, and Paharis have made up their minds to keep their promise. Some people might have compulsions, but by and large, the majority of the Paharis have to go that way,” he said.
On Altaf Bukhari’s statement against reservation to Paharis, the Apni Party leader said: “I assert with confidence that Altaf Bukhari has consistently supported Paharis. Perhaps his recent statement was a slip of the tongue. His statement aligns with what the Home Minister had said-that Paharis should be granted their rights without infringing upon Gujjar rights. We have always advocated for our rights without encroaching upon others,” he said.
On opposition parties referring to the Apni Party B-team of BJP, Manhas said that let them first decide who the A and D teams truly are.
“Recently, Omar Abdullah referred to the PDP as the D-team, while the PDP labelled them the A team. Let them first decide who the A and D teams truly are. Pakistan has consistently labelled them as puppets of India. The NC, aside from their own party, has spared no criticism, branding the Congress as traitors and worms before forming a government with them,” he accused.
The Apni Party leader accused the PDP president of being opportunist by first joining hands with NC and now again speaking against them.
“Speaking about NC and PDP is a waste of time now. These parties have levelled numerous allegations against each other, leaving little more to be said. The entire political agenda of Mehbooba Mufti revolves around one issue: the rigging of 1987, which sparked militancy in the region and devastated the Valley. However, upon joining the PAGD, she set this issue aside for four years. Only when a seat was not left vacant for her, the accusations resurface regarding the events of 1987,” he said.
Manhas accused the NC leaders of exploiting the sentiments of the people of J&K and running away from Kashmir during turmoil.
“Here, the emotions of the people were exploited by those who, in 1947, laid the foundation of accession and invited the army here, and Kashmir became a part of India that day. Now, you abuse New Delhi, orchestrate killings, and then attain power. And when bad days come for the people, you run away to safe zones. Your children neither study here nor live here,” he said.
Manhas said that the primary focus of his agenda is to restore the respect and integrity of the voting process, which has been overlooked for the past 70 years.
“It is crucial to educate people about the significance of their vote. When addressing constituents, it is imperative to uphold honesty and integrity, unlike labelling them as mere pumpkins and brinjals,” he said.
“My first slogan is to restore the importance of the voter and worker; this is my narrative. My narrative is that false dreams should not be sold to the people,” he said.
The Apni Party leader said that his party’s main focus is development of the region and creation of infrastructure.
“We have to focus on development; our infrastructure is in disarray, the drainage of our city is in bad shape, and we have not been able to build anything. So, we are here to upgrade these things with the politics of truth so that the clouds of suspicion dissipate and a new dawn begins,” he said.
On the Prime Minister’s statement on Mangalsutra and other issues, Manhas said that his party will analyse the statement and oppose it with dignity if they find any issues with those.
“The recent support from the president of the Api Party for PM Modi does not imply complete agreement with every statement. When parties join hands, it is not a guarantee of absolute alignment but rather a broad-based consensus. We must analyze such statements and oppose them with dignity if we find any issues democratically,” he said.
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