Srinagar: Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Saturday reiterated his call for the Centre to initiate a dialogue with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the restoration of statehood must be followed by this meaningful engagement, which is promised by Prime Minister and Home Minister.
He was addressing a press conference in Jammu after a party event in which a prominent political and social activist from Gool Reasi, Syed Zulfiqar Ayobe alias Baji Sahib, joined the Apni Party.
He joined the Apni Party along with six former Sarpanchs, six former Naib Sarpanchs, and 15 Panches. Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, Provincial President Manjit Singh, and other leaders gave a warm welcome to the new entrants.
He expressed deep concern over the recent demolition of journalist Arfaz Daing’s house by the Jammu Development Authority (JDA), saying it was ironic that the government was not even willing to take responsibility for this unjustifiable act. He said, “The elected government claims it has no knowledge of the demolition, and the LG administration says the same. Should we then ask the United Nations (UN) on whose instructions this demolition was carried out? People have given a strong mandate to the ruling party. It is now the party’s responsibility to clarify this issue.”
However, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari applauded the victim’s Hindu neighbour, Kuldeep Sharma, a resident of Jammu’s Narwal, who offered a piece of land to Daing for rebuilding his house.
He said, “Sharma Ji has sent a clear message to the communal elements in society. This is the true spirit of Jammu and Kashmir. People of this land are not communal.”
On the issue over Muslim students’ admission at Vaishno Devi medical college, Apni Party president said, “Those who object to the admission of Muslim students at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) should understand that these admissions were made purely on the basis of merit through NEET. If the institute was intended to cater exclusively to students of a particular community, it should have been designated as a minority institution at the time of its establishment. I understand that Hindus cannot be considered a minority here, but if such an arrangement was desired, a suitable legal provision would have had to be explored then. At this stage, raising objections holds no merit.”
He further said, “Admissions to any educational institution should always be based on merit, not on religious identity. The day we begin selecting students on the basis of their religion, our society will start to fall apart.”
He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “Control the BJP leaders who are trying to communalise things.”
He said, “It appears that some members of the BJP are acting beyond appropriate limits. I urge the Hon’ble Prime Minister to address this for the larger interests of the nation.”
Lashing out at the elected government, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said, “The ruling party’s election manifesto was meant to cheat people. The slogans and promises made in it were misleading and false. Over a year has passed, yet people have not received the promised 200 units of free electricity or 12 gas cylinders. The promise of 50,000 jobs is still unmet, and daily-wage workers’ issues remain unresolved. This government has failed on all fronts.”
Reiterating his demand to extend the residency requirement for domicile from the current 15 years to 50 years — or at least 35 years — the Apni Party President said that if the government fails to act within three months, the party will launch an agitation to ensure the residency period is increased for obtaining domicile.
Responding to a question, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said that there had been a security lapse that led to the horrific terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam earlier this year. He added, “Unfortunately, neither was responsibility fixed nor was anyone punished for the negligence.” During the press conference, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari was accompanied by the party’s Provincial President Manjit Singh and other senior leaders.