Srinagar: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to show the political will and take necessary follow-through action by restoring statehood before holding Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing a felicitation cum interactive session with DDC members, independent affiliates and the unsuccessful contestants of the Party’s Kashmir province at party office in Lal Chowk Srinagar, Bukhari congratulated the people of J&K for their overwhelming participation in the polls exemplifying the level of their commitment to a vibrant democracy.
He said the recently concluded elections should be a reason for the Government of India to ponder over and explore viable possibilities for J&K’s progressive, respectful and accommodative association while restoring Statehood and preserving the peoples’ domicile rights on their land and jobs.
The Apni Party President said that people in all the regions and sub-regions of J&K are unhappy with the Union Territory status and feel completely disgruntled and disempowered within the existing administrative structure. “The massive participation of the people in the DDC elections is reflective of their innate desire for a real democratic structure available to the residents of other States in the country wherein the people are the masters of their own decisions,” he added.
Bukhari said that the government of India should respect the peoples’ forceful demonstration of their resilience and commitment to a democratic system and reciprocate with the restoration of Statehood to J&K as soon as possible.
“The Governor rule or any bureaucratic regime for that matter can never be a substitute, even to a worst popular government in place. People in J&K are suffering because there are no public representatives available to them who could make the officers accountable for their duties and responsibilities,” he said.
Bukhari said that the developmental activities in J&K have come to a standstill since last year and the present dispensation should try to redress issues of the common masses which is missing since the unfortunate reorganization of the State.
He said a vibrant democratic and political system is imperative for a stable Jammu and Kashmir adding that in absence of an elected democratic set-up there can never be desired peace, prosperity and development in the region.
