SRINAGAR: Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Wednesday said the rights that Jammu and Kashmir lost following the constitutional changes of August 5, 2019, could not be restored through protests or confrontation but only through dialogue, consultation and a clear roadmap.
Addressing reporters after a joining programme at the party headquarters in Srinagar, Bukhari said August 5 would continue to be remembered as a “dark day” for Jammu and Kashmir until the rights of its people were restored. He, however, stressed that the process should be pursued through engagement with the Centre rather than confrontation.
“We firmly believe that the Government of India and the people of Jammu and Kashmir need to engage in dialogue to address genuine demands and bridge the existing trust deficit,” he said.
Bukhari said his party would support any political formation raising issues such as the restoration of statehood, Articles 370 and 35A, the release of prisoners, employment generation and other public concerns.
Responding to a question on PDP president Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks at Jantar Mantar and her subsequent apology, Bukhari said the issue should be treated as closed.
“Since Mehbooba Mufti has apologised for her offensive remarks at Jantar Mantar, the matter should end there,” he said.
On the 2024 Assembly elections, Bukhari alleged that the BJP had sought votes in the Jammu region on religious lines. He claimed that many people in the region now recognised that such politics was not in the larger interest of Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier, senior Apni Party leader and chairman of the party’s Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Mohammad Dilawar Mir, welcomed a group of political and social activists from Sopore who joined the party.
Dilawar Mir said Sopore had historically been an important political centre in Jammu and Kashmir and called for restoring its significance. He urged young people to play an active role in shaping the region’s future and emphasised the need to create better opportunities for the younger generation.
Among those who joined the Apni Party were Mohammad Ramzan Malik, Irshad Ahmad Ganai, Javaid Mohammad Mir, Mohammad Hussain Wandru, Mubashir Ahad Wani, Hilal Ahmad Sheikh, Firdous Ahmad Mir and Rifaz Ahmad Lone, along with their supporters.
Several senior party leaders, including Ghulam Hassan Mir, Rafi Ahmad Mir, Muntazir Mohiudin, Farooq Andrabi, Yawar Dilawar Mir and other office-bearers, were present at the event.
