Apni Party President, Syed Mohammed Altaf Bukhari on Sunday said that the situation in Jammu region has become alarming with the subsequent involvement of non-local mafia in extraction of natural resources and liquor trade. Altaf Bukhari offered rich tributes to the martyr five Indian Army soldiers who gave supreme sacrifice while fighting against the terrorists in an encounter in Rajouri.
He expressed grave concern over terror incidents in Rajouri and Poonch and termed these terror activities as grave threat to the peace and brotherhood. He was speaking at a one day workers convention at Paloura which was organized by SC State Coordinator, Bodh Raj Bhagat, and OBC Wing State Vice President, Bhagat Ram. He said that “The LG administration has failed to maintain peace and tranquility in the region which remained intact even during the peak of terrorism in 90s. The people from Poonch, Rajouri, parts of Chenab Valley and Kashmir migrated to Jammu and settled here. The people from all regions lived in peace and brotherhood in Jammu.” Bukhari complemented Jammuites for their contribution to the peace and accommodating the terror hit migrations in Jammu.
“The people of Jammu have big hearts. They welcomed all and allowed them to share water, electricity, land, and jobs. They always maintained communal harmony and peace,” he said while lauding Dogras of Jammu. The peace that was maintained in the 90s is being breached under the LG administration which according to him is not willing to hold assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir for various reasons which suits them.
“If elections can be held in other states of the country, why assembly elections cannot be held in J&K? It appears BJP does not want elections because it fears defeat if polls are held. It does not mean that they should compel people to suffer without an elected Govt. The LG administration’s prestigious project Smart City has turned Jammu City roads to look like they are in Afghanistan,” he said.
He further stated that “This LG Govt has failed to hold fair selection process for the unemployed youth in Jammu and Kashmir. There is neither development nor any kind of employment for the unemployed youth. Our future generation, aspiring for various Govt jobs, is holding protests for the last several months against the recruitment scams and demanding employment for them. However, there is no positive response from the LG administration.”
Instead of listening to the grievances and addressing them, he said that the LG Govt has given rise to the ‘mafia system’ in Jammu by engaging contractors from outside in extraction of natural resources which has unemployed over 10 lakh people who were association with the trade as contractors, tractor trolley owners, drivers and others.
“You can see the Govt has given licenses to open liquor shops in every nook and corner of Jammu as they are the part of liquor mafia from outside J&K. The Jammuites have opposed but no one listens to them,” he said and criticized the Govt for turning deaf ears to the suffering of Dogra. He said that “Apni Party does not promote liquor, or the mafia system. We will show them the doors if we form the next Govt. We will protect the rights of the locals. The jobs, land, and natural resources belong to the locals, and no outsider will be allowed to grab them.”
“Apni Party will work for equitable development, employment, and protection of rights of the people while promoting brotherhood among the communities. We are not those who speak double. We do not mislead the people by speaking one thing in Kashmir, another in Jammu and something else in Delhi,” he added. He expressed his serious concern over terror incidents in Rajouri and Poonch districts, and pulled the J&K Govt for its failure to handle terrorism in these twin border districts.
“The Govt must focus on controlling terrorism in Rajouri and Poonch. If the terrorism can be controlled in Kashmir, why has it failed to control the same in Pir Panjal? For the last eight months, no local has joined terrorism in Kashmir. If terror incidents are happening it is because a political party was busy in spreading Gujjar-Pahari divide,” he said. He said that “The divide and rule policy of BJP, NC, PDP and Congress Party has given rise to the suffering. The BJP received 25 assembly seats from Jammu in 2014 assembly elections, but they formed Govt with PDP within next 24 hours betraying the sentiments of the people. The BJP and all other traditional political parties are power hungry and they do not work for the people. Therefore, the Apni Party which represents the two regions equally should be given a chance to form the next Govt.” He said that the people of both the regions demand immediate restoration of statehood, and holding of assembly elections. Referring to the long pending demands of the OBC community in J&K, he said that if the Apni Party forms the next Govt in J&K, the OBC will be provided 27% reservation in Jammu and Kashmir too.
