Srinagar: Apni Party senior leaders, including its General Secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir and Provincial President Kashmir Mohammad Ashraf Mir, on Sunday, vowed that they are dedicated to bringing about a positive change in Jammu and Kashmir and will lift this place out of the prevailing uncertainty and miseries.
The leaders conveyed this resolute message during a workers’ convention held in Srinagar’s Chanapora constituency today. Besides the workers and activists from the constituency, the event was attended by several prominent party leaders.
According to a press note issued here, while addressing the convention, Rafi Ahmad Mir said that the Apni Party’s leadership is committed to ensuring the protection of the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and bringing them out of the miseries they have been facing for quite a long time.
He said, “In the prevailing uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir, the Apni Party stands as a beacon of hope, with its leadership dedicated to bringing about a positive change here. Unlike other political parties, we do not aspire to attain power just to rule but to serve the people. We stand in support of the people of Jammu and Kashmir like a rock, as our mission is to protect their rights and ensure their prosperity and well-being.”
He urged the party workers to remain active in order to strengthen the organisational set-up further. He said, “We have to strengthen our party further to make it powerful enough to serve the people better. It is imperative that we attract and involve the younger generation within our party ranks. Together, we can safeguard the rights of the people, and foster prosperity and well-being in their lives.”
Rafi Ahmad Mir assured that the Apni Party has a clear-cut vision for a prosperous future for Jammu and Kashmir.
He said, “The leadership of the Apni Party comprises seasoned and veteran politicians with a crystal-clear vision. These leaders are dedicated to shaping a brighter future for Jammu and Kashmir, especially for our youth. I assure you that we will guide our youth toward a path of development and prosperity; and not on the path that leads to miserable conditions, jails, or graveyards. We need a permanent peace in J&K to ensure a better future for our young generation and generations to come.”
He urged people not to fall prey to the deceptive slogans of the traditional parties. He said, “You must not forget that these traditional parties and their leaders have been deceiving you through fake promises and emotional sloganeering for years and decades. One of these parties came to you in 2014 seeking votes on the name of keeping BJP out of power in J&K. But soon after they got the public mandate, they chose to join hands with the same BJP. Similarly, the other party sought your votes in parliamentary elections, saying it would protect Article 370. People trusted this party and voted for it, sending its three leaders to parliament. However, when this article was abrogated on August 5, the party remained silent. Its members should have at least resigned in protest against the abrogation of Article 370.”
Recalling Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao’s assertion about the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir, Rafi Ahmad Mir said, “In 1996, the then Prime Minister of the country, Shri Narasimha Rao, had offered autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, saying the sky is the limit, less than Azadi. If these traditional parties and their leaders were sincere, they would have seized the opportunity at that time, bringing more autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. But the fact is, they were interested only in attaining and retaining power for themselves. They were least bothered about the future of J&K.”
Addressing the gathering, Mohammad Ashraf Mir said that the traditional political parties have lost their credibility among the people. He stated, “The traditional political parties have lost credibility among the masses as they stand exposed for their misleading narratives and fake promises. Over the past seven decades, these parties kept people busy with false promises and emotional sloganeering just to strengthen their family rule here. However, post-August 5, 2019, they are completely exposed, and they will no longer deceive the voters in the name of false promises and emotional slogans.”
He expressed his profound concern over the prevailing public issues and grievances and blamed the traditional parties for it. He said, “Look at the growing unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir. Even our highly educated youth are unable to find jobs here. If these traditional parties, who ruled Jammu and Kashmir for years and decades, had taken the right steps towards creating employment avenues, our youngsters would not be grappling with unemployment. The same is the case regarding other public issues and grievances. We are facing these issues only because of the misgovernance of the past several decades.”
Mir urged people to strengthen the party so that it is powerful enough to implement its agenda, which is to ensure lasting peace, prosperity and development in Jammu and Kashmir.
