SRINAGAR: Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Sunday said the ruling National Conference would be responsible if any demographic change takes place in Jammu and Kashmir, questioning the government over the alleged purchase of land by outsiders for commercial projects.
Addressing a public meeting at Natipora in Srinagar’s Chanapora constituency, Bukhari directly questioned Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over the alleged purchase of land by a Mumbai-based businessman for a hotel at Syedpora and the acquisition of 150 kanals by a Delhi-based company at Chatterhama in Hazratbal.
“Who allowed Mumbai-based Chawla Sahib to purchase land for a hotel in Syedpora and a Delhi-based company to acquire 150 kanals in Chatterhama Hazratbal, despite the fact that such activities are not permissible under the existing domicile laws of Jammu and Kashmir?” he asked.
Bukhari said the government was responsible for preventing any attempt that could lead to demographic changes in J&K.
He also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate direct talks with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, saying the trust deficit between the Centre and the people would persist without such an engagement.
“The prevailing trust deficit will not end until direct talks are held between the Centre and the people, particularly the youth of Jammu and Kashmir,” Bukhari said, calling for the “Dil aur Dilli ki dooriyan” to be bridged through dialogue.
He cited issues related to police verification, detainees and repeated police summons as reasons for the prevailing alienation among youth.
“Why shouldn’t there be a trust deficit? Our youth are suffering with a range of issues. They are not being given police verification reports which are mandated for attaining passports and jobs. Many of our young people have been languishing in jails for years, even decades,” he said.
Bukhari also accused the NC government of failing to fulfil its election promises, saying two years had passed since it came to power.
He said people had voted for the NC in the hope that it would work for restoration of Articles 370 and 35A and statehood.
Referring to the NC’s political history, Bukhari alleged that the party had repeatedly made promises to secure votes but failed to pursue them after coming to power.
He also criticised the functioning of the J&K Legislative Assembly, saying people had expected the elected government to use the House to address unemployment, detainee-related issues and other public concerns.
Bukhari said the government had also failed to fulfil promises including 200 units of free electricity and free gas cylinders.
On the condition of Srinagar’s downtown areas, he said residents of Shehr-e-Khaas continued to face inadequate housing, poor infrastructure and unemployment.
He also raised issues concerning Chanapora, alleging that some infrastructure projects in the constituency were being neglected because they had been initiated during his tenure.
“Chanapora Hospital lacks adequate infrastructure, while the Budshah Nagar dispensary is in a miserable condition. Many areas in this constituency do not have a proper water supply,” he said.
Senior Apni Party vice president Ghulam Hassan Mir said people had voted enthusiastically in the 2024 Assembly elections expecting an elected government to bridge the gap between the administration and the public.
However, he alleged that people had now developed a sense of hopelessness due to the government’s failure to address their concerns.
Mir questioned the government over the promises of 200 units of free electricity, free gas cylinders and additional ration quota.
He also questioned the NC’s promises on restoration of Articles 370 and 35A and statehood, asking whether the elected government had the constitutional authority to restore these provisions.
Apni Party vice president Mohammad Syed Akhoon accused the NC of misleading voters through promises that could not be fulfilled.
General secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir said that despite decades of democratic politics, people in J&K continued to face political and economic challenges, and urged them to move away from what he described as traditional politics based on promises and emotional slogans.
Provincial president Mohammad Ashraf Mir also accused the government of failing to address public issues and said people were realising that they had been misled during the election campaign.
