Srinagar :J&K Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Sunday strongly criticized the ruling National Conference (NC), asserting that the “people of Srinagar city have always supported the National Conference, but the party has deprived them of their social, political, and economic rights.
Welcoming prominent leader Amir Bhat—declared as the party’s face for Srinagar’s Khanyar constituency—and his associates into the party fold, Bukhari while addressing a public rally at Brein Nishat in Srinagar highlighted the chronic neglect of Srinagar, citing severe housing shortages, rising youth unemployment, and lack of basic infrastructure like health centers and marriage halls in Brain Nishat. He challenged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to fulfill his election commitments or step down, specifically demanding an immediate rollback of the recent power tariff hike: “We already knew that the ruling party had blatantly lied to the people when it sought votes by promising 200 units of free electricity to every household, along with several other such promises. However, we had never imagined that this government would further burden the already financially strained people by increasing the power tariff.” Bukhari also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for meaningful dialogue to address the genuine grievances of Jammu and Kashmir’s people and secure the release of jailed youth.
Echoing these views, Apni Party Vice President Mohammad Syed Akhoon criticized the government’s failure to meet its election promises, recounting his own experience prior to joining the party: “I was in the National Conference at the time of the 2024 Assembly elections. When I saw the party’s manifesto, I told its leaders that the promises made in it could not be fulfilled… I urged them not to deceive people through such a misleading manifesto. However, the leadership took offence to my advice. Instead of paying heed to my suggestion, they expelled me from the party.” Meanwhile, Provincial President Mohammad Ashraf Mir reiterated the Apni Party’s core commitment to ensuring the development, prosperity, and dignified quality of life for the residents of Srinagar, calling on the youth and party workers to actively highlight public issues and connect with the grassroots.
