Altaf Bukhari calls for youth amnesty, addressing growing discontent

Srinagar, Sep 25: Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari Wednesday asked the Centre to stop ‘harassment’ of youth and reiterated his commitment to provide general amnesty to the youth of J&K if the Apni Party comes to power.

Talking to reporters after casting his vote at Sheikh Bagh here, Bukhari said the assembly polls were conducted after a wait of 10 years which had raised expectations of the people, particularly youth.

“Whoever wins and comes to power should take care of people’s feelings and emotions,” he said.

About the role of his party after the election results, he said “After 2019, the Apni Party has played the role of a fulcrum and will continue to play its role.”

On the foreign delegation’s visit to Srinagar, the Apni Party President mocked the decision and said that their visit did not make any difference.

“Who doesn’t want to visit Kashmir and explore its beauty? But we have better democracy here than in the US,” he said.

However, Bukhari said that the Centre needed to consider a positive change that was marked by the participation of youth in elections.

“As I always say, a general amnesty should be granted to end their harassment. Sixteen lakh youth are sitting unemployed and they should be provided respectable jobs,” he said.

Referring to his door-to-door campaign and his interactions with the youth, Bukhari said that the youth were demanding jobs, development, and prosperity.

“The Centre should respond to their demands now,” he said.

About the former members of Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) contesting elections, Bukhari said that the increase in the polling percentage could be attributed to the indirect participation of JeI in the election, though indirectly.

“Even if they are not contesting directly, their support for certain independent candidates has resulted in an increase in the polling percentage. There is a growing hope among the people that if the religious party (Jamaat) is involved, a good government will be formed,” he said.

About his intentions to extend support to any party in government formation, Bukhari said that all the parties – the NC, PDP, BJP, and Congress - are all part of the same system.