JAMMU: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Sunday said that his party remains committed to ensuring that all the concerns and challenges faced by farmers in Jammu and Kashmir are addressed promptly.He said the Apni Party will leave no stone unturned to protect the rights, interests, and livelihoods of the farming community across the Union Territory.
The party’s Senior Vice President, Ghulam Hassan Mir, also called for the constitution of a commission to investigate the factors responsible for the declining attraction towards farming in Jammu and Kashmir and to demanded measures for reviving the sector.
Both leaders were addressing a workers’ convention held at Kotli Shah Doula, R.S. Pura, today. The event saw a large turnout of farmers from Jammu district and nearby areas. This event was organised by president of Apni Party’s Kisan Wing and former Sarpanch Badri Nath Sharma.
Expressing deep concern over the “forcible eviction drives targeting traditional farmlands” in various areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Altaf Bukhari said that the government must remember that these actions have become a major source of distress for farmers, who are the backbone of society and the driving force of the economy.
He said, “In many cases where the government has already acquired agricultural land, the owners have not been provided compensation in accordance with the prevailing market value.At some places in R.S. Pora, farmers were in possession of agricultural land even though they did not own it. However, they had possessory rights over the land and were therefore entitled to receive due compensation upon being dispossessed. Unfortunately, these farmers have yet to receive this compensation.”
“Such injustice”, he said, “has only increased the hardships and suffering of farming communities.” However, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari assured that the Apni Party would ensure that farmers’ issues and concerns are addressed effectively.
He said, “Apni Party is committed to protecting the rights and interests of farmers, and we will stand firmly with the farming community at all times.” “We will knock on every door to ensure that the issues facing farmers are addressed effectively,” he added.
He appealed to the Union Government to take concrete measures “to protect agricultural land, address farmers’ concerns, and safeguard their well-being at all costs.”“We in Jammu and Kashmir do not have a strong industrial base. Our land is our primary source of livelihood and economic security. We cannot afford to lose it, especially our agricultural land,” he said.
Bukhari also called for the effective implementation of the Central Forest Act in Jammu and Kashmir to protect the rights of the concerned communities. He said the whopping Rs 28,000-crore industrial development project failed to deliver the expected benefits, including employment opportunities, to Jammu and Kashmir.