Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 4: J&K Apni Party (JKAP) President Altaf Bukhari today stated that his party will work towards getting the prisoners released.
“JKAP will work towards getting the prisoners released, making efforts to repeal the AFSPA and withdrawing troops,” Bukhari told a gathering at the old city in Srinagar.
“But for that, we have to create a suitable atmosphere. For the last 5 years, you have decided to ensure peace, and that is not the success of anyone else but you,” he said.
The Apni Party Chief said that he will remove the “thorns” thrown in the way of the people of Srinagar’s old city with his eyes and restore the lost smiles on the faces of the youth.
Addressing a public gathering in the old city’s Fateh Kadal, Bukhari noted that those who were labelled as “anti-national elements” have gathered here to listen to the leaders, emphasizing that they (the people) are hopeful of a new dawn.
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“The people of Srinagar deserve commendation for coming here and listening to us. It is a matter of pride for us. I have promised the people that we won’t let you down. The thorns which have been placed in your way, I will remove them with my eyes,” he said.
“My heart is crying and rejoicing at the same time. Look at these houses; in one house, several families are living. They were branded as anti-national elements, but today they are here to listen to us, hoping to witness justice being delivered and to see a new dawn,” he said.
Earlier, while speaking to the media, Bukhari welcomed the statement of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, stating that the election should be treated as an election “and it is in no way a referendum of any sort.”
He remarked, “There are elements who are referring to the election as a referendum; they are the people who want to lead the people of Kashmir astray.”
During his address to the people, Bukhari mentioned that only a few people may know him, “but I have been representing the Amira Kadal Assembly constituency for years. The district budget for Srinagar used to be Rs. 49 crore. When I was the Finance Minister, I increased it to Rs 99 crore. Did those who held power for decades do anything? They did not want to do anything for the people.”
He asserted that those who held power for decades always wanted the people of the old city to remain behind and created divisions of all sorts.
“This place has witnessed hardships. I know in one house, several families are living, and it is the same across downtown; the rulers instead created Sher, Bakra; Indian, Pakistani divisions,” he added.
JKAP President stated that there is a need to revitalize the old city and restore the smiles on the faces of the youngsters.
“There is unemployment, and Delhi must know that the people of the old city are not illiterate. They are graduates, postgraduates, but there is nothing for them; for others, there is reservation, but the people of the old city were given nothing.”
He highlighted that while the old city has endured tough times, one generation was sent back across the border, “saying they do not accept India; what happened to their families?”
Another, in the 90s, he said, “was termed insurgents; what happened to those who were killed and what happened to their families.”
Bukhari promised that if JKAP’s candidate wins, they will reshape the city and will not differentiate on party lines, noting that the people of the city have always been “betrayed.”
“We will change the shape of this city and restore it to the stature it deserves. At the same time, we don’t differentiate on party lines at any cost. Because you have always been betrayed.”
“Having 1000 people here is equivalent to 10000 people. I am not a liar, and I won’t let you down. I know it would be difficult for you to believe me, but let me tell you, I am not among those leaders,” he said.
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