PDP funded BJP to stage rivalry: Altaf Bukhari

Srinagar, Sep 22: Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari Sunday said that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) used to regularly pay Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Jammu to create false impressions about the PDP-BJP relationships.

Talking to Greater Kashmir during his door-to-door election campaign in the Channpora constituency, Bukhari reacted to the recent visit of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi to Kashmir wherein he criticised the regional parties – the National Conference (NC) and PDP, and Congress and said that the way the BJP criticises them (NC and PDP) turns out to be beneficial for them.

“When I was in PDP, sometimes, we used to give money to the BJP leaders in Jammu to speak against the PDP and burn the effigy of PDP Patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti. I am a witness to this as I was the Treasurer of PDP at that time,” he said.

Bukhari said that the drama was done to create a false impression that the BJP is the real enemy of the PDP and that people used to support the PDP.

“This is a drama. When the BJP criticises them (PDP), Kashmiris feel that they are fighting against them. The money was given to BJP leaders in Jammu. At that time, the local leadership of the BJP was not that strong. So, we (PDP) used to give them money to burn their (Mufti and Mehbooba’s) effigies,” he said.

Bukhari said that the people of J&K should not get carried away or befooled with this drama.

“Both the PDP and the NC are the two sides of the same coin. Even Congress is no different than these two parties,” he said.

On Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement that no stone pelter would be released, Bukhari said that the Apni Party was not following the BJP agenda and would ensure that general amnesty is given to the youth who are political prisoners and are in jails.

“This is also mentioned in our manifesto that we will announce a general amnesty for all political prisoners. It is a challenge but by the grace of Allah, I am sure that we will be able to satisfy the Centre and make everyone feel inclusive,” he said.

“Apni Party will ensure that nobody is allowed to occupy our land and take our jobs. Our party will not let anyone play with your culture and civilisation. Another challenge for us is the unemployment of young educated people. We will overcome this problem as well. During the last 7 years, the BJP has damaged the education system here. We will look into this as well,” Bukhari said.

About the party’s plan for the youth, he said that he was the only experienced politician in the election fray who knew how to become an employer.

“As my profession is not politics and I am a businessman, I will show my youth the right direction about getting jobs in government as well as in the private sector,” Bukhari said.