R.S. PURA: Apni Party President, Syed Mohammed Altaf Bukhari, said his Party believes in strengthening democratic institutions in Jammu and Kashmir and restoring the confidence of the people who feel alienated by the way bureaucracy works.
Addressing a one-day worker’s convention in R.S. Pura; Altaf Bukhari appreciated the Apni Party leaders particularly Women Wing Provincial Secretary and Vice President Bar Association, RS Pura and Adv Nisha Kumari who had organized the convention in the border town.
In this function, Advocate Harpreet Singh with many others joined the Apni Party in presence of Party President Altaf Bukhari and other senior leaders of the Party.
“J&K’s identity is unique in the rest of the country as different regions, religions and communities live in peace here. However, the traditional political parties are trying to widen differences on the basis of regions and religions to get vote bank benefits,” he said while addressing the worker’s convention in RS Pura where thousands of party leaders and workers participated.
He however said that “Apni Party wants unity of Jammu and Kashmir i.e., regionally, religiously and economically.”
“We will never allow divisive forces to weaken the roots of brotherhood in J&K. Such forces will never succeed in J&K as we have a long history of mutual respect and inter-dependence while maintaining peace in the society,” he said and hoped that the Apni Party leaders will foil all the plans of the anti-social elements and opportunist politicians who want to garner support out of division in the society.
“The Apni Party’s mission is to bring people of different regions, religions, and languages together. We will not allow weakening the strength of J&K. Instead, we will strengthen the erstwhile state with peace, progress, brotherhood, development and employment,” he said.
He said that unless there is no peace, development cannot happen and development is meaningless without potential employment opportunities.
Earlier, while addressing the convention, Bukhari said that the assurances were given that the people living along the International Border villages shall be provided 5 marla plots in the safer zones to each family living on the border villages. However, this assurance still remains unfulfilled.
“We have learned that the promises have still not been implemented in toto by providing 5 plots to all the families of extreme border villages in the safer zones and hence, the students and elders of such villages suffer adversely,” he said.
He said that the people suffer when their students have to abandon their houses due to the fear of ceasefire violations and shift to safer places. During this time, he said, their studies suffer. In this situation, he said, the Govt must hold on spot special and fast-track recruitment in paramilitary and J&K Police for the youth of the border belt along the International Border as well as the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
“As the situation always remains vulnerable with the continuous threat of ceasefire violation, the Govt must consider the demand of the locals by organizing special recruitments for the educated youth of the border belt in Jammu, Samba, Kathua and Akhnoor along the International Border and all along with the Line of Control in Jammu as well as Kashmir provinces,” he said.
He also referred to the growing drug addiction and poor basic facilities in the border town RS Pura and villages, poor implementation of PMAY scheme and issues of bunker construction for each family in the border villages.
In the light of ongoing protests against the Agnipath scheme for recruitment in the Indian army, he said that the Govt must reconsider the demands of the protesting youth.
He also said that the issues of CISF, BSF, Border Battalion, NHM employees, daily wagers and others should also be resolved in a stipulated time by the Govt as it has led to the feeling of alienation among the educated youth.
