Always prepared for polls; statehood to J&K our core agenda: Altaf Bukhari

Jammu, Nov 28 : Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari today said that his party is always prepared for polls and that “statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is our core agenda.”

He was talking to media persons here on the sidelines of a party function. Asked when assembly polls are going to be held in J&K, Bukhari said, “It seems they (BJP) do not want the polls here. As far as Apni Party is concerned we are always prepared for the elections. Whenever the polls are held you will find us ready to join the electoral fray. Right now we are strengthening our party , reaching out to people.”

The Apni Party leader stated that the core agenda of his party is the restoration of statehood to J&K. “ Restoration of state is very important and we will continue on our agenda and the statehood restored,”he said.

Bukhari criticised BJP and Congress and described those as two sides of the same coin. He alleged that both parties have done no good for the people of J&K.

Earlier, while addressing the function, Bukhari said that recognising Punjabi language as one of official languages in Jammu and Kashmir is on top agenda of his party.

“It is on our agenda to recognise Punjabi language as one of the official languages in Jammu and Kashmir. The language has a huge contribution and it is spoken by people from all the communities in most regions of Jammu and Kashmir,” said Bukhari. A number of people joined Apni Party at the function. The programme was organised by Women Wing, Provincial President, Jammu, Pavneet Kour.

In presence of the Apni Party President, prominent Sikh Community social activist Inderpal Singh with his supporters Surinder Singh, Ranjit Singh, Bila Pardan, Paramjit Singh, Bachan Kumar, Ajit Singh and others joined the Apni Party. They were welcomed into the party folds by the Party President.

While welcoming the new entrants into the party fold, Bukhari hoped that their joining would strengthen the Party at the ground level, and in future too, the people from all walks of life will continue to join the Party.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that the issues of the Sikh Community will be resolved by the party and no one will be left to suffer with no representation.

Referring to the demand of recognizing Punjabi language as official languages, he assured the new entrants and other leaders of Sikh Community that it is in their top priority to recognize Punjabi language as one of the official languages in Jammu and Kashmir.

He recalled the contribution of the language in Jammu and Kashmir in literature, and culture having historical traces.

He also appealed to the government to give representation to the Sikh Community members from each region in the Legislative Assembly.