Jammu, 09-May: Apni Party President, Syed Mohammed Altaf Bukhari on Tuesday appealed to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hold early Assembly Elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The Assembly Elections should be held as early as possible in Jammu and Kashmir. We have expectations with the PM that he will fulfill his promise,” Altaf Bukhari said while addressing a one day worker’s meeting in Chatha, Satwari.
The meeting was organized by Provincial President Jammu, Women Wing, Pavneet Kour.
Bukhari recalled how they were warmly welcomed by the Prime Minister in the month of March 2020 following the abrogation of Art 370 and Art 35A to discuss the public issues.
“We met the PM as the people in J&K had apprehensions that outsiders will settle here. When the people were in complete despair, we came out to represent them. Accordingly, the PM promised protection to the land and jobs for the locals of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He further said that the statehood should be restored to win the confidence and hold elections to end the growing public concerns with regard to various issues.
He said that “We saw truthfulness in the eyes of the Prime Minister. Therefore, we expect from the PM that assembly elections will be held and people will be given the right to elect their Govt.”
Meanwhile, he said that the LG Govt that they have cornered the J&K Administrative Services, and J&K Police Services Officers and replaced them with the imported IAS and IPS officers who are unfriendly with the people of both the regions.
“It a matter of grave concern that the JKAS and JKPS officers have been sidelined by the Govt. However, these officers must get ready to take the responsibility. They are the backbone of J&K,” he said.
He asked the people to bring change in the governance whenever the Assembly Elections are held in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The J&K BJP has failed to bring any kind of change. It is dependent upon the national level politics. They just implemented their political agenda to gain vote bank politics across the country, but failed in Jammu. The Jammu people trusted BJP because they contested the last assembly elections against the dynastic rule but after the assembly poll results in 2014. They joined one of the two dynastic (NC and PDP) political parties i.e., PDP within 24 hours and formed a coalition Govt that brought disaster for the people of two regions in an unexpected manner,” he said.
He stated that the biggest disaster for the people was abrogation of Art 370 and Art 35A and then the process of importing IAS/IPS officers from across the country by undermining the competence of the JKAS/JKPS officers who deserved to be given better places to address the unexpectedly growing issues.
“J&K BJP cannot do justice with the people of Jammu especially when the Recruitment Scams, issues of Jammu Businessmen, Tourism Sector, Hoteliers, Transporters, Travel Agents, rise of influence of non-local mafia and contractors in Govt sector have surfaced. It shows the BJP has failed miserably,” he said.
Besides BJP, he stated that “The NC, PDP, and Congress Party have hands in glove. They have ruled J&K by adopting the policy of divide and rule on the name of region, or religion. This divisive policy is responsible for terrorism in Kashmir as well as in Jammu.”
“Therefore, there is a need to end the politics of hate and division. The Apni Party which has no tinted record should be elected to form the next Govt,” he added.
He further said that “The people should support the Apni Party to form the next Govt in J&K so that we could work for their equitable development, protect their resources, through the contractors from outside, protect the jobs in the private sector, and work for the business, and other sectors.”
He said that the BJP has been directly ruling J&K for the last several years, but they have brought miseries with the imported IAS/IPS officers.
“The JKAS/JKPS officers have been sidelined to give postings to the bureaucrats from outside J&K. These imported officers are unfriendly with the local population and force them to stand in queues for long hours,” he said.
When the inefficiency of these IAS/IPS officers is highlighted before the public, he said, they launch an anti-encroachment drive and displace the poor people from the small piece of land they have been holding for decades.
“We want to assure the people that we will not allow snatching of even an inch of land from them. These officers who have been harassing the people would be held accountable,” he said.
He further referred to the concerns of the people with regard to the Smart City Project in Jammu which had completely failed before its take-off. He pointed out that the authorities have brought selective contractors in Jammu to benefit them.
He however assured the people that the Apni Party will regularize the land under possession of the people and they will not be evicted from their land.
“The roads are in bad shape, and the condition of the residential colonies within the municipal limits has not changed with the smart city projects. The project seems to be benefiting the officers in Jammu Municipal Corporation, and the non-local contractors. However, their nexus will be exposed and the officers will be held accountable for their failure to develop Jammu,” he said.
He also referred to the concerns of the people regarding implementation of property tax, underdevelopment, lack of tourism, poor business etc in Jammu and criticized the BJP for exploiting the public emotions for their votes.
He said that the local brick kiln industry is in shabby condition because the authorities have imposed strict rules to get clearances from multiple agencies, while the bricks are brought from Punjab getting all facilities and support of the Govt.
“This double game has badly affected the interests of the Jammu businessmen community at large and thousands of families associated with the trade and making of bricks across the Jammu region,” he said.
He sought end to the discrimination with the local brick kilns and ban on sale of Punjab based bricks in Jammu.
He said that if the Apni Party forms the next Govt, they will restart the darbar move practice to boost the business in Jammu. The business in Kanak Mandi, Raghunath Bazaar, and all other markets, tourism sector, hotel industry all are suffering after the stopping of the traditional darbar move because it will provide opportunities from two regions to interact with each other, strengthen the bond of brotherhood, and help them in cultural exchange.
Meanwhile, he said that he will highlight the issues of refugees so that their pending financial package amount is released, transporters issues, developmental issues.
In his address, Apni Party Vice President, Choudhary Zulfkar Ali said that “Assembly Elections should be held in Jammu and Kashmir and the people should not be deprived of their constitutional right.”
When elections can be held in Karnataka and other states of the country, he questioned the Govt why elections are being delayed in Jammu and Kashmir.
In the meantime, he said that the Apni Party was founded when the politicians from all the traditional political parties were not ready to speak for the public, but they were protecting themselves.
“It was only Altaf Bukhari who came forward and met the Prime Minister to ensure protection of the land, and jobs for the locals of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He said that a similar situation had come in the 90s, when the politicians from JK had flown to London and other states while the terrorism was on its peak, and no one was representing the people at the local level. He again demanded that the identity of Jammu and Kashmir should be restored with statehood and elections should not be delayed any further.
The Provincial President, Jammu. S Manjit Singh complemented the Provincial President, Jammu Women Wing, Pavneet Kour and assured all support to the people in Chatha, Satwari area.
“We will ensure justice is done with the people from all sections of society. The Apni Party is committed to equitable development in all the areas,” he added.
He highlighted the policy and agenda of Apni Party while assuring to the people that Apni Party will enhance the 0ld age pension/widow pension/handicapped pension up to Rs 5000 per month, marriage assistance for the poor girls up to Rs 1 lakhs, four cooking gas cylinders to each poor family per year under Ujjawala Scheme, free 500 units of electricity during summers, and 300 units during winters to each household in Jammu.
“We will through the mining mafia of Punjab, Haryana, UP and other states out of J&K when we form the Govt. The mining rights will be given to the PRIs. Similarly, we will restore the old pension scheme for the Govt employees,” he said.
He appealed to the people to extend their support to the Apni Party in upcoming PRI, municipal, assembly elections and parliamentary elections.
Earlier, the organizer of the one day worker’s meet, Provincial President Women Wing Jammu, Pavneet Kour also addressed the workers.
Kour said that majority of the people in Chatha and its adjoining areas in Satwari are refugees and their genuine demands are yet to be accepted by the Govt.
She said that the refugees have not received full payment of the financial package sanctioned and released by the previous Central Govt. She demanded full and final release of the package amount in favour of the refugees.
She said that the transport industry has suffered after covid19 outbreak and they should also be given a package so that the transporters can be helped to recover from the losses.
She demanded the Punjabi language should be made one of the official languages in J&K and the opening of skill development centers for women.
She also raised the issue of under development and demanded developmental work at the cremation ground at Karan Bagh in Satwari.
Altaf Bukhari appeals PM Modi to hold Assembly Elections in J&K Says LG Govt has cornered JKAS, JKPS officers
