First time in history of J&K, people desperately want assembly elections: Altaf Bukhari

JAMMU: Asserting that the people desperately want assembly elections for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, Apni Party president Syed Mohammed Altaf Bukhari on Saturday said that Jammu has major role to play in upcoming elections by isolating the divisive forces that are bent upon destroying peaceful communal atmosphere.
"The political alienation of the people is widely being felt that is why there is desperation for assembly elections for the first time unlike the past," said Altaf Bukhari while addressing a one day worker’s convention in Ramgarh in Samba District.
He said, “The historic Dogra State was downgraded into two Union Territories and the Article 370 and Art 35A were scrapped for the political interest after snatching all the basic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. As the Govt of India and Bureaucracy are enjoying the power, they do not want assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir which is being demanded by the people of the erstwhile state from both the regions."
"it is for the first time after 1947 that people are demanding assembly polls as it has never happened in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. There is a nexus of bureaucracy that does not want assembly polls in J&K. We will not tolerate such elements who work against the interest of the people of J&K and the nation,” he added.
"The BJP has allowed the non-locals to extract natural resources and sell them at higher rates due to which the construction cost has increased, Mr Bukhari alleged further adding, "This emerging situation has snatched the source of employment for hundreds of local people across Jammu and Kashmir and made them helpless."
“We will not tolerate policies which are against the interest of the people. If the Apni Party forms the next govt, we will push outside Lakhanpur all the non-locals who have exploited the natural resources,” he said.
Bukhari said BJP has betrayed the people of Jammu even after ruling Jammu and Kashmir indirectly through Lt Governor and Advisors from Delhi.
“They came to power by turning Jammu against Kashmir for political gains like NC, PDP and Congress but later they betrayed the trust of the Jammuities who gave them 25 assembly seats in erstwhile State of J&K."
Within 24 hours, they joined hands with PDP and formed a coalition Govt bringing miseries for the people of both the Regions,” he said.
He further said that “BJP do not respect the sentiments of the people. They want power and to serve their political purpose.”
On the occasion, he appreciated the people of Jammu for accommodating the people who migrated due to violence and other reasons from Kashmir and other parts of Jammu region and settled in Jammu.
He said that they have witnessed the BJP rule in which no development and instead unemployment has increased manifolds with the cancellation of the selection lists.
Accusing the BJP’s selective approach has worst hit the Jammuites, he appealed to the people to give a chance to the Apni Party to form a majority Govt in Jammu and Kashmir.
We are committed to provide equal opportunity for development, employment and other opportunities,” he said.
He assured that if his Party forms the next Govt in J&K, the Apni Party will give 500 units of free electricity to the people in Jammu during the summer and 300 units during winter and in Kashmir, the people will get 500 units of free electricity during the winter season and 300 units in the summer.
He said that the Apni Party will enhance widow pension up to Rs 5,000 and provide 4 free cooking gas cylinders in a year under Ujjwala Scheme.
Earlier a large number of political workers joined the Apni Party during the worker’s convention organized by Advocate Sahil Bharti under the guidance of Provincial President, Jammu, S. Manjit Singh.