Statehood right of J&K people not favour: Altaf Bukhari

Jammu, Jun 24: J&K Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari Tuesday slammed the BJP and NC for "letting down the people who gave them a significant mandate" in Jammu and the Valley, respectively.

He reiterated his demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, urging the Centre to “restore it without any further delay—not as a favour, but as the return of a right that was unjustly taken away on August 5, 2019.”

Altaf Bukhari made these remarks while speaking with reporters on the sidelines of a party event at the Jammu office.

The event was organised to welcome new entrants into the party fold. The new members included Mohammad Arif, president of the Kisan and Tractor Union, among others. Raj Kumar Lalotra, who was formerly affiliated with the Apni Party, also rejoined the party at this event.

On Monday, he had picked holes in the statement of NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah’s statement to move to Supreme Court in case of inordinate delay in grant of statehood by the Centre asking what the party gained by taking the issue of abrogation of Article 370 to the apex court. “Abrogation, which was illegally done by the BJP government, was finally stamped (approved) by the Supreme Court,” he had asserted.

Urging the union government to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Apni Party President on Tuesday said, “Prime Minister Modi has promised the people of Jammu and Kashmir that statehood would be restored. He is one of the most prominent leaders not only in the country but also in the world. The people of J&K should not be left with the impression that the Prime Minister did not fulfill the promise he made to them.”