‘Article 370 gone forever, some leaders trying to hoodwink people’
KD NEWS SERVICE
SRINAGAR, Sep 3: Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party President and former Minister Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Saturday said that he is ready to unite with anyone for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir
He further admitted that Article 370 is gone forever and no government here can bring it back and said that the political parties including PAGD are deceiving people here by saying that they are fighting for the restoration of Article 370. “We will bring back statehood in J&K for which we have to show solidarity and fight for it,” he said, adding that he is ready to unite with anyone to fight this battle.
In an interview with a local news agency KNS, Apni Party president said that after the abrogation of Article 370, Apni Party was formed for three main objectives which include restoration of statehood, Jobs and security of the land here and the party has already achieved two goals and now only goal of statehood remains.
On being asked whether he believes that PAGD is fighting for Restoration of article 370, he said that “it is nothing more than deceiving people as PAGD contested elections here on the premise that they will restore 370 but nothing happened so far in this regard.”
About Ghulam Nabi Azad’s separation from Congress and launching a new party from J&K, Apni Party president accused Azad of voting in favor of BJP in Parliament on revocation of article 370.
“How can he now say that he is fighting for the restoration of 370? If he had not voted in favor of the Bharatiya Janata Party at that time, Article 370 would not have been repealed, but how can he now claim that he will fight for its restoration. I challenge him to prove me wrong. For whole life, he represented various Muslim areas of the country. Now see the condition of the Muslims, then he is responsible for their poor condition” he said.
When asked why many in Kashmir call Apni Party as the B-team of BJP, the former minister said, “these things don’t matter because the party has to get votes from the people here not BJP. We will not do any cheap politics. We tell the truth to the people. Apni Party will always keep its promises made with the people of J&K,” he said.
He further said that some traditional politicians are making false promises to the people and people should be aware of it. “It’s an old wine in a new bottle,” he said while referring to the new acts of traditional politicians.
Bukhari criticised the Government for not releasing the youth who were taken in preventive custody before the onset of Amaranath Yatra. “During the Amarnath Yatra, many youths were kept in detention here, the government should release them now. Yatra is over. Why are they still being kept away from families. Government should take responsibility from their families if they want, but should be released,” he said.
