STATE TIMES NEWS
SRINAGAR: Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Sunday said that his party is desirous of real empowerment of the people in Jammu and Kashmir through restoration of Statehood.
Bukhari was addressing the Party’s campaign convention for DDC elections at Gund Mashar-Lolab in district Kupwara.
He was flanked by Apni Party Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir, District President Kupwara Raja Manzoor, Party’s contesting candidate from Rajwar Abdul Rashid Bhat, Party’s contesting candidate from Sogam Block Abdul Rahim Wani, party leaders advocate Javed Mir and Bilal Arif.
“Turning J&K State into a Union Territory has completely disempowered its people. The political philosophy that formed the edifice of the Apni Party’s agenda encompasses the true empowerment of people through restoration of Statehood and legal safeguards for their land and jobs,” the Apni Party president reiterated.
He said the political empowerment of the people goes through the route of socio-economic development. “In order to address the alienation among people, the Statehood should be restored to J&K with dignity and honour. The Apni Party is committed to strive for this goal along with the Domicile Laws for protection of land and jobs,” Bukhari added.
Stressing on the massive participation in DDC elections, he said the district level councils will provide an opportunity to the people to get directly involved in their local affairs through proposal and action.
The Apni Party President also exhorted on the need for strengthening of democratic set-up in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly at the grassroots level. He underlined the significance of a much needed change in the approach of governance that can be brought in, after the successful completion of the ongoing District Development Council (DDC) elections.
“Besides focusing on other developmental parameters, I am sure that if elected, our party will usher in a new era of quality education, better healthcare infrastructure, better roads, smooth supply of drinking water and electricity and augmentation of tourism infrastructure across the Lolab Valley,” Bukhari pledged.
Laying emphasis on the massive participation in the forthcoming DDC elections in the area, the Apni Party president appealed to the people to ensure that they make their successful candidates accountable for their polls promises.
“We were used to reposing faith and blind trust in the political parties whose leaders would surface among people only during the election times. But the times have changed and those political parties should understand that they can no more hoodwink the people through their hollow and deceptive slogans,” Bukhari remarked.
Addressing the convention, Party senior vice president Ghulam Hassan Mir appealed to the people not to get swayed by the political gimmicks of the parties who have always tried to exploit the political sentiments of the people.
“Our Party’s agenda is absolutely realistic. The Apni Party is committed not to indulge in the politics of pretense or deceit. People should give a chance to the Apni Party candidates to prove themselves and then decide accordingly,” he added.
Mir said that Jammu and Kashmir is in dire need of an elected government but simultaneously, the people should not leave this chance of strengthening the grassroots level democracy. “DDC elections are purely meant for the holistic development at the ground level wherein the people will get directly involved in policy planning and executing the work projects,” Mir observed.
The campaign meeting was also addressed by other senior leaders who appealed to the people to vote for Party’s contesting candidate Abdul Rahim Wani in DDC elections.