Don’t fall prey to deceit of traditional political parties any longer: Bukhari

STATE TIMES NEWS

SRINAGAR: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, on Sunday, urged people not to fall prey to the deceit of traditional political parties any further. He emphasized unity and stated that conventional politicians always divide people based on caste and creed for their political gains.
He delivered this message during a vibrant public rally held in the Nambla village of northern Kashmir’s Uri. The people thronged to the event and gave a rousing reception to Apni Party president and other esteemed leaders upon their arrival at the venue. Bukhari, while addressing the rally, said, “The traditional politicians have been deceiving people to attain and retain power. Even in 1947, they started by dividing people on the basis of caste for their political advantages.”
“Enough is enough; it’s time to stop falling prey to deceptive politics any longer and to maintain unity for your greater interests,” he urged people.
Recalling the deaths and destruction that the people of Uri have faced over the years due to the confrontation between the armies on both sides, Bukhari said, “People who live on the borders have suffered greatly over the years simply because they were easy targets of firing and shelling from both sides. I hope this situation will change, as history stands witness to the fact that when enemies decide to end the enmity, peace and prosperity begin.”
He said, “I promise you that the Apni Party’s government will ensure the Mohra powerhouse is rebuilt, and the power generated from this project will be exclusively allocated to the residents of this area. Also, we will ensure that local youth receive preferential consideration for employment opportunities arising from the infrastructure development in this region.”
“I assure you that I will never disappoint you; Apni Party will get the people of Uri out from miseries and deprivation by using the natural resources of this area,” he promised.
On this occasion, Apni Party’s senior leader and vice president, Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, harshly criticized the National Conference and Congress, blaming these parties for the miseries of the people living on the borders.
Manhas presented historical facts to justify his criticism. He said, “We know as a matter of fact that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah are solely responsible for the miseries and suffering that people living on borders have been facing over the past seven decades. In 1948, when the Indian Army was pushing the raiders back, these leaders ensured a ceasefire here, which eventually created a border in places where Gujjar-Bakerwal tribes and the Pahari community were dominantly residing. The creation of the border not only divided these populations but also made them vulnerable. The ceasefire was deliberately ensured to make Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah an undisputed leader in Kashmir.”
Addressing the rally, the party’s senior leader and former mayor of Srinagar, Junaid Azim Mattu, said that as soon as the autocratic rule of the Maharaja ended in Jammu and Kashmir over seventy years ago, the National Conference established its own dynastic rule in the region.