SRINAGAR: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari and Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir on Wednesday emphasized the need for dialogue between the Centre and the people of Jammu and Kashmir to address pressing issues, including the restoration of J&K’s statehood and the existing trust deficit between the people of J&K and the rest of the country.
Both the leaders were addressing a workers’ meeting at Dak Bunglow in Mendhar, Poonch. The meeting was organised by Constituency in-charge Mendhar, and party’s Spokesperson Raqik Ahmad Khan.
Speaking on the occasion, Bukhari stressed that the demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir needs to be pursued through dialogue with the Centre, not through confrontation.He was referring to the ruling party’s proposed sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, scheduled for July 20.
The Apni Party chief said, “Statehood is imperative. In fact, it is a matter of dignity and honour for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. However, this can be achieved only through dialogue with the Government of India, not through confrontation.”
He further said, “Statehood alone will not fill people’s stomachs. They need employment opportunities. People need liberation from unemployment, poverty, hunger, underdevelopment, and other such problems. However, this insensitive government pays no heed to these pressing issues.”
Bukhari said that the leaders who have ruled Jammu and Kashmir for decades have failed to provide the kind of effective and accountable governance that the people deserve. “Why are people here still deprived of basic amenities such as proper road connectivity, adequate drinking water, and reliable electricity?The lack of basic amenities reflects the failure of those who have governed the region over the years to deliver effective governance and fulfill their responsibility towards the people,” he added.
The Apni Party president also blamed the Central government for the issues and hardships faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that “New Delhi has always imposed a leadership on the people of Jammu and Kashmir that was never interested in addressing their concerns effectively; rather, those leaders were interested in attaining and retaining power”.
“For the sake of power, these leaders had even hollowed out Article 370 long before the Centre finally abrogated it on August 5, 2019,” he said.