Apni party welcomes decision by PAGD to contest DDC polls
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party president Syed Muhammad Atlaf Bukhari Thursday hailed the PAGD’s decision of fighting the District Development Council (DDC ) elections stating that it took Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah 22 years to realize the right track and those who are part of the alliance for Gupkar Declaration choose the right path in less than a month which is a welcome development.
Bukhari also welcomed the J&K Panchayat Conference, an amalgam of Sarpanchs and Panchs into the Apni Party fold. The J&K PC is led by Shafiq Mir.
Addressing a press conference here, Bukhari, said that till some ten days back, those who are part of PAGD, used to cry out loud that elections are meaningless for them. “But now they have decided to fight DDC polls. They still claim that they aren’t power hungry.
“But I want to ask them that what for they are fighting the DDC polls then. Power flows from the grass roots and DDC polls are linked with the grassroot level democracy,” Bukhari said.
He said it was good to see leaders associated with the PAGD shunning the “emotional slogans” as such things have always swayed the youth of J&K towards wrong.
“It took Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah 22 years to realise what is the right track and it took PAGD less than a month to decide what is right. I am happy over the PAGD’s decision and hail their announcement,” he said.
He said that today’s youth have seen worse situations than ever. “Truth was very bitter. In the past 70, whatever was earned was snatched,” Bukhari said.
He said that the J&K Apni Party has not given up as far as Article 370 is concerned.
“The case is in the Supreme Court. We had five MPs who unfortunately couldn’t save it. Those five people can’t bring back Article 370. Our hope is tied with the SC,” he said, adding that “we also demand statehood for our identity.
We are fighting for it.” He said that unless 272 MPs would vote for restoration of Article 370, it can’t be restored. “Apart from the parliament, our hope is SC and let’s hope for the best,” Bukhari said. (KNO)