Statehood Will Be Restored, Says New J&K Party After Meeting With PM
The delegation was headed by the JKAP chief Altaf Bukhari
A delegation of newly formed Political Party Apni Party in Jammu & Kashmir recently visited New Delhi and met the Prime Minister. The delegation was headed by the party’s president Altaf Bukhari.
This party has projecting itself as a third front against the two existing main political parties – National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party.
JKAP compromises of several former National Conference and PDP leaders and members. While Mr Bukhari was a finance minister in the Mehbooba Mufti government, Mr Mir is known for his pro-India politics. He also was one of the founding members of the PDP and later also a minister in Omar Abdullah’s cabinet.
In an two-hour-long meeting, PM listened to all two dozen delegates. The party delegation talked about restoration of full statehood and protection of land and jobs of the locals.
The meeting gained importance as this was the first time the Prime Minister met any political outfit from Jammu and Kashmir since the centre revoked Article 370, that granted special status to J&K, last year.
“PM assured us that all steps would be taken for the betterment of region. The gap between people and local administration and centre needs to go. We raised this issue,” said Bukhari.
“A sense of loss is there among people after mighty state like Jammu Kashmir was reduced to a UT. So we asked the centre to restore statehood. We asked the PM to bring in domicile law to protect rights of our children,” said Gulam Hasan Mir, one of the main architects of JKAP.
According to him, talks about delimitation have also triggered a sense of fear among people. “In Jammu and Kashmir, people are of the view that this is being done to disempower them. We raised this issue as well. PM has assures us nothing would be done to disempower citizens,” Mir said.
The delegation also raised concerns of people relating jobs, education and their business. “PM Modi said no demographic changes will be done. He is a man of commitment. His heart beats for people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Mr Bukhari added.
Interestingly, while PM Modi met JKAP leaders in Delhi, former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah, who was released on Friday, met his son Omar Abdullah in Srinagar and also Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.
“PM met delegates for two hours. If he gives in to even some of their demands he would be giving them credibility,” said a senior functionary in the government.
Critics, however, say everyone knows the reality of JKAP and who is behind its formation. “No one bought the idea of JKAP as a third front neither in Kashmir or Jammu,” said a former bureaucrat.
Officials in the government state that Farooq Abdullah has been released and its matter of time before both former chief ministers – Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti – are also released. “It’s now a level playing field for everyone and very healthy for democracy,” said a senior officer.
