Post August-2019, traditional parties left people at mercy of circumstances: Altaf Bukhari

Srinagar, Aug 14: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said on Monday that the conventional J&K politicians left the people at the mercy of circumstances after the August 5, 2019 occurrences. 

He claimed that it was only the Apni Party that took the initiative to engage with the central government to get relief for our people and protect their rights.

Bukhari was addressing an event at the party headquarters in Srinagar today, a party statement said. This event was organised to welcome Late Qazi Mohammad Afzal’s son, Qazi Umar Farooq, and his associates into the Apni Party fold. Notably, Late Qazi represented the Ganderbal constituency in the legislative assembly from 2002 to 2008, defeating the National Conference’s then chief ministerial candidate, Omar Abdullah.

Extending greetings to the new entrants into the Apni Party fold, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari expressed his optimism about Qazi Farooq’s potential to become a prominent figure in Ganderbal, following in the footsteps of his father, and gathering substantial public support in the days to come.

He said: “I wholeheartedly welcome Qazi Farooq and his supporters to the party, and I am sure that their joining will not only strengthen our party cadre in Ganderbal further but also ensure dedicated service to the local population. The party leadership will provide all the necessary support to the new entrants to serve the people well in their area.”

Addressing the occasion, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari explained how and why the Apni Party was established in March 2020. He said, “Following the events of August 5, 2019, when we witnessed people grappling with helplessness and uncertainty about their future, we decided to shoulder the responsibility of standing by our people during those trying times.”

He added: “Subsequent to the events of August 5, 2019, when the entire Jammu and Kashmir region was engulfed in turmoil and distress, the traditional politicians hid themselves and chose to remain silent. They remained silent for about one and a half years following the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. However, the Apni Party took the proactive step of engaging with leaders in Delhi. Through our efforts, we succeeded in convincing the central government to provide an assurance that no demographic changes would be made here and that the people of J&K would continue to have their special rights regarding jobs and agricultural land in J&K.”