Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, May 24: Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari today called for unity among political parties in Jammu and Kashmir to press the Centre for a dialogue on the region’s issues and aspirations, drawing parallels with Ladakh where, he said, all parties united to secure talks with the Centre.
Addressing a workers’ convention in Samba, Bukhari said the Centre must initiate dialogue with the people and political parties of J&K to address their genuine grievances, adding that the Apni Party would support any such initiative. He also demanded immediate Urban Local Bodies and Panchayat elections, saying these were essential for strengthening grassroots democracy and enabling people to elect representatives for resolving local issues.
Bukhari accused the ruling National Conference of misleading people with promises such as 200 units of free electricity, one lakh jobs, regularisation of daily wagers, free LPG cylinders and additional ration quotas, claiming these assurances remained unfulfilled. He also targeted the Centre over the Rs 28,400-crore Industrial Development Package for J&K, alleging that a major portion of subsidies had benefited a limited number of outside industrialists without generating meaningful employment for local youth.
Speaking on the occasion, Apni Party provincial president Manjit Singh accused the NC Government of being insensitive to public interests and alleged that the NC and BJP were working in tandem for political gains.
Other prominent leaders who were present on the occasion or addressed the gathering included provincial vice president Shah Mohamed Tantray; district president Samba Raman Thapa; provincial vice presidents Saleem Alam and Arun Chhibber; provincial secretaries Ajaz Kazmi and Balbir Singh Baba; senior leader Bodh Raj Bhagat; provincial women wing president Pavneet Kour; party spokesperson Advocate Sahil Bharti; Kishan wing president Badri Sharma; Babu Ram; Makhan; Farooq Chouhan; Vaibhav Mattoo; Neelam Gupta; Mohammad Arif; Ritu Pandita; Vicky Sudan; Vishal Jyotshi; GL Pandita; Joginder; Yash Choudhary; Dalbir Singh and Inder Paul Singh.
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