- Shafiq Mir announces Panchayat Conference’s merger with Apni Party, Baramulla’s another Baig joins the Party
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party president Syed Muhammad Atlaf Bukhari Thursday hailed the PAGD’s decision of fighting the District Development Council (DDC) elections stating that it took Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah 22 years to realize the right track and those who are part of the alliance for Gupkar Declaration choose the right path in less than a month which is a welcome development.
Bukhari also welcomed the J&K Panchayat Conference, an amalgam of Sarpanchs and Panchs into the Apni Party fold. The J&K PC is led by Shafiq Mir. Addressing a press conference here, Bukhari, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that till some ten days back, those who are part of PAGD, used to cry out loud that elections are meaningless for them. “But now they have decided to fight DDC polls. They still claim that they aren’t power hungry. But I want to ask them why they are fighting the DDC polls then. Power flows from the grass root and DDC polls are linked with the grassroot democracy,” Bukhari said.
He said it was good to see leaders associated with the PAGD shunning the “emotional slogans” as such things have always swayed the youth of J&K towards wrong. “It took Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah 22 years to realise what is the right track and it took PAGD less than a month to decide what is right. I am happy over the PAGD’s decision and hail their announcement,” he said.
He said that today’s youth have seen worse situations than ever. “Truth was very bitter. In the past 70, whatever was earned was snatched,” Bukhari said.
He said that the J & K Apni Party has not given up as far as Article 370 is concerned. “The case is in the Supreme Court. We had five MPs who unfortunately couldn’t save it. Those five people can’t bring back Article 370. Our hope is tied with the SC,” he said, adding that “we also demand statehood for our identity. We are fighting for it.” He said that unless 272 MPs would vote for restoration of Article 370, it can’t be restored. “Apart from the parliament, our hope is SC and let’s hope for the best,” Bukhari said.
About the poll symbol of J&K Apni Party—“Bat”, Bukhari said that his party members will be like true sportsmen and full spirit. On the land law, he said J&K Apni Party will fight for protection of land rights. “Industry, we understand but that can’t be at the cost of our youth. This is not the slogan but I assure you that we will fight for the change of land laws,” he said. “We have vowed to get the land laws amended, and we will get it amended.” Asked how you can get land laws amended, he said, “through persuasion.” “This is not something we will get on a plate,” Bukhari said. The Apni Party welcomed J&K Panchayat Conference head Shafiq Mir and other members into the party fold stating Mir worked hard to get the three-tier panchayat raj system implemented in Jammu & Kashmir.
“He has played a great role in demanding DDC polls that would complete the all three tiers of the Panchayat raj system,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Mir said that Bukhari has all the leadership qualities. “When J&K witnessed darkness from every side on August 5, 2019, he (Bukhari) emerged as a ray of hope,” he said, adding that the leader is not the one who raises hollow slogans but the one who understands people’s issues and takes right steps at the right moment
