SRINAGAR: Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari on Wednesday said that his doors are open for all those who were previously aligned with any other political ideology, provided they have a firm belief in the constitution of India.
Addressing a public convention at Padgampora in Pulwama district Altaf Bukhari said, “Anybody who is not involved in anti-national activities, not doing communal politics, and not involved in drug mafia can join Apni Party.”
Taking a dig at the traditional political parties and their leaders, Altaf Bukhari said, “History stands witness that these parties and their leaders have always deceived people and exploited them for their own political gains, primarily for attaining power and remaining in power. These parties kept people busy with deceitful narratives and emotionally charged slogans, such as “Rai Shumari” “Autonomy”, “Self-rule,” and more. However, for themselves and their families, they chose to accumulate riches and power.”
Regarding his past engagement with the PDP, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari stated, “The PDP was apparently established to put an end to the dynastic rule of the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir. However, with the passage of time, it became evident that even the leaders of this party were establishing their own family rule here. As soon as I realised the true intentions of the party’s leaders, I quit it.”
Reiterating his perspective on J&K’s affiliation with the rest of the country, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said, “We have two distinct narratives here: one grounded in truth and the other in falsehood. The undeniable truth is that the leaders of Jammu and Kashmir opted to align with India in 1947. Regardless of whether the decision was right or wrong, the fact remains that J&K was destined to be an integral part of the country forever. We must accept this reality.”
“Had the leaders, who pursued an alternative narrative over the years, accepted this reality, the situation would have far better, and people here would not have suffered so much. However, these leaders remained rigid and refused to engage in dialogue with the government, even when one of the prime ministers extended an offer of ‘sky is the limit, less than complete independence’,” he added.
