Opposition leaders to meet in Jammu on August 7: Tarigami

Srinagar, July 26:Leaders of opposition parties are scheduled to meet on August7 in Jammu to discuss the issue of amendments to Transaction of Business of the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir Rules 2019.

According to a press release by CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, all the leaders of opposition parties have been requested to attend this meeting.

Reports said that Apni Party led by Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari has accepted the invitation. Recently Bukhari had appealed all the political parties to join hands to oppose the amendments which “reduces the powers of a Chief Minister and empowers the Lieutenant Governor. He had also made a plea for getting back a strong Jammu and Kashmir back.

Apni Party has accepted an invitation to attend the opposition meeting scheduled for August 7 in Jammu, said KNS.

Party Vice President G H Mir said that they have received an invitation from party president, Altaf Bukhari for August 7 and he has accepted. Talking to KNS, Mir expressed concerns about the current state of governance in Jammu and Kashmir, stating that when the central government issued an order, the Chief Minister's power was given to the Lieutenant Governor, making the J&K assembly weaker than a municipality. This discrimination against J&K needs to be addressed.

"We need to unite and stop this discrimination to empower the J&K government and assembly. Political parties must rise above their differences to strengthen the interests of the people of J&K", he said.

He also urged the BJP to reflect on their actions. "Why is the J&K government weak? Why is the J&K assembly weak? The local BJP should ask their central government what answer they have for the people of J&K. Have they prepared the people of J&K to make them powerless," Mir said.

"We are ready to support the people of J&K at every step, to make them strong," he added.