When invited, ready to join NDA in broad daylight: AP chief Bukhari

‘J&K’s dynastic parties have now lost even their deceptive narratives’

STATE TIMES NEWS

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (AP) President Syed Altaf Bukhari on Sunday said that if invited, the party is ready to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Replying to questions by media persons on the sidelines of the party convention, Bukhari said, “So far they (NDA) has not included my party into their fold. The day they invite, I am ready; my party has authorised me to join the NDA the day they invite”.
Bukhari added that he is not the one who will take such a decision during the night but the day the NDA will be ready, he will be their part. “I will join the NDA in broad daylight”, he asserted
He exuded confidence about the Apni Party supported candidates will win all the three seats of Anantnag-Rajouri, Baramulla and Srinagar.
To a question regarding NC President Omar Abdullah asking why he formed the Apni Party, Bukhari said that the party will work to resolve issues being faced the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier, addressing the party conventions held at Muniwar Khanabal, and Bijbehara in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, Apni Party President Bukhari urged people to use their voting power to reject the traditional parties, saying that the deceptions of these parties and their leaders are now exposed in front of the people.
“They have even lost the deceptive narratives that they would employ to befool people over the years and decades”, he added.
These events were part of the party’s ongoing campaign for the Lok Sabha polls.
Bukhari said that the traditional parties and their leaders can no longer deceive people through false narratives and emotionally charged slogans.
He said: “The traditional parties, especially those run by two families, have long misled the public with false narratives and emotionally charged slogans. However, their deceit has been laid bare, and their once-potent narratives have crumbled. Nobody is going to trust their slogans like ‘Raishumari’, ‘Autonomy’, ‘Self-rule’, and others anymore. People know that they have been deceived by these parties and their leaders through these misleading slogans.”
He said that once the Apni Party gets a public mandate, it will hold these parties accountable for their role in shedding innocent blood on this land.
He said: “One of these parties is responsible for the killing of more than 100 innocent people in 2010, while the other killed 128 individuals and blinded young boys and girls by using pellet guns in 2016. I promise you that once the Apni Party receives a public mandate, it will ensure that these ruthless politicians and the so-called leaders face the force of justice. We will ensure that the parents who lost their children receive justice.”
He went on to say: “One of the leaders, who was at the helm in 2016, when bullets rained down, even on children, shamelessly justified these killings by heartlessly remarking, ‘Kiya ye bachay chocolates aur doodh lene niklay thay’ (Had these children come out of their homes to fetch chocolates and milk for themselves). These ruthless words will always haunt people in Kashmir.”
Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari urged people to use the power of their vote to reject traditional parties and their leaders in these elections.
He said: “I wonder how shamelessly these parties come to the people to seek their votes. Last time, in 2019, they urged people to vote for them so that they could protect Article 370 and 35A in Parliament. People trusted them and elected three members of one party. The other one also had its three members in the Rajya Sabha. Yet, they chose to remain silent when these Articles were revoked on August 5, 2019. These so-called public representatives did not even bother to resign in protest of the abrogation of these Articles. And now, despite their betrayal, the same parties shamelessly seek the people’s votes once again. I urge the people to reject them through the power of their votes.”
He appealed to the people to vote for Apni Party’s candidate, Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, in the Rajouri-Anantnag parliamentary constituency.
He said: “Ours is a new party, and we are participating in the Lok Sabha elections for the first time. I assure you that if you grant us your mandate, we will never disappoint you. I request you to vote for Zaffar Sahib so that he can effectively represent the sentiments of the people in parliament.”
Speaking on the occasion, Zaffar Iqbal Manhas promised people that he would deliver his duties with the utmost honesty and dedication if given a mandate by the people.
He said: “As a writer, a politician, and someone who has held various positions, including being an MLC in the past, I am like an open book. People recognize my unwavering commitment to integrity and dedication, and I have always stood by my people when they needed me. Today, I assure you that I will not disappoint you if you trust me and give me your mandate.”
Addressing the convention, party’s Vice President, Usman Majid, appealed to people to use their vote wisely and not to fall prey to the deceptive slogans yet again.
He said: “I request you to use the power of you vote wisely. We have already lost our 70 years by giving mandate to those who did nothing for people and created riches for themselves. The leaders whom people trusted established their family rule here. This is the time when we must tell them that ‘enough is enough’. I request you to reject these deceptive politicians through the power of your vote.”
Besides Bukhari, Manhas, and Usman Majid, the prominent party leaders who addressed and were present at the venues included party’s General Secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir, Additional General Secretary Hilal Ahmad Shah, District President Anantnag Abdul Rahim Rather, Provincial Secretary Najeeb Naqvi, Provincial Secretary Nazir Dailgami, District Secretary Anantnag and party In-charge for Bijbehara constituency, District youth president Anantnag Salman Infas, Gowhar Sahib, Youth Leader Advocate Raja Showkat, District President of party’s Youth Wing Israr Choudhary, BDC Ghulam Ahmad Dar, Showkat Ahmad Latto, Khurshid Ahmad Sofi, Advocate Mudasir, Asif Ahmad, Sabzar Ahmad, Mohammad Akram, Mohammad Yaseen Parray, Tariq Maqbool,Mohammad Shafi Shah, Halqa President Mukhtar Ahmad Dar, Halqa President Rahil Ganai, Halqa President Nisar Ahmad Dar, Halqa President Bilal Ahmad Nanda, Farooq Ahmad Dar, Muzamil Rashid, Jamid Ahmad, Ishtiaq Ahmad Reshi, Sajad Ahmad Diyalgami, the party’s IT head and in charge of the social media department Ovais Mushtaq Khan and others.