Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari Thursday said that National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) owe an unequivocal apology to the people of J&K for their age-old “political gimmicks” and the frequent “change in their political goal posts” to woo the deeply tormented electorate.
Addressing the party’s DDC campaign convention at Tangmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, Bukhari said that right from Raishumari, autonomy, joint assembly, dual currency, self-rule and now restoration of special status just through slogans, NC and PDP leadership had never refrained from raising passions for their “petty electoral gains”.
“In last 72 years, NC has ditched and befooled people by exploiting their political sentiments. Similarly, PDP didn’t lag behind and raised slogans that were totally misleading. These political parties have disrespected the peoples’ mandate and enjoyed power in NDA and formed the governments with BJP,” he said.
Bukhari said that in May 2019, Farooq Abdullah garnered a huge public support as he pledged to safeguard Article 370 and 35-A.
“But all these elected MPs of NC and PDP including Farooq Sahab failed to deliver on their election time promises made with the people. I think, morally, he should seek retirement from active politics as he failed as an elected parliamentarian to represent the aspirations of his electorate,” he said.
“People should understand that DDC polls are purely meant for good governance, developmental projects, infrastructure, quality education, health services and employment opportunities that will certainly bring respite to the people,” Bukhari said.
Apni Party senior vice president Ghulam Hassan Mir said that the Gupkar alliance was another poll plank to befool the people of J&K and to become relevant.
Apni Party senior leader and former minister Dilawar Mir said that the gimmickry of political parties like NC and PDP had posed a big challenge for the Apni Party to restore peoples’ faith in the democratic processes.