Srinagar: Apni Party’s prominent leaders led by the party Chief Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari Sunday called on Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha to make a formal demand for the restoration of J&K’s statehood.
They handed over a memorandum seeking restoration of statehood to J&K to Mr. Sinha, who assured them that he will take up the matter with Prime Minister Modi and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a week’s time.
Also, the party delegation raised some important public interest issues before the LG and succeeded to get an assurance from him for quick redressal of these issues.
According to a statement issued here, Apni Party leaders had about an hour-long meeting with the LG Manoj Sinha in a cordial atmosphere at Raj Bhawan.
Mr. Sinha greeted the leaders, gave them a patient hearing, and received the memorandum — urging the restoration of statehood to the erstwhile state — from them.
On this occasion, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari drew Lieutenant Governor’s attention to the fact that the Prime Minister and Home Minister of the country have promised that statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will be restored. He urged that this promise should be fulfilled without any further delay.
LG Sinha assured the Apni Party delegation that he will bring their demand to the notice of the Prime Minister and Home Minister in a week’s time.
During the meeting, Apni Party leaders also raised the issue of Kashmiri detainees who have been kept behind the bars in the name of “prevention detention”. They urged the LG to ensure no person is kept in jail without any plausible grounds.
On this demand, the LG assured the Apni Party leadership that he will ensure every prisoner’s case is revived separately.
Moreover, Apni Party delegation also raised the issue of delaying recruitments in J&K and expressed their displeasure over the recent trend of cancelling recruitments following the reports of irregularities in the selection process.
They told the LG that the innocent students who have qualified for their exams by dint of their hard should not be made to suffer just because some official has indulged in wrongdoings.
On this, Mr. Sinha assured the Apni Party leaders that he will ask his administration to ensure recruitments are not delayed further. Also, he said that his administration will make sure that all the recruitment exams are held in a transparent manner.
The Apni Party leaders also informed the LG that some youth who just have been appointed in various departments are denied NOCs by the concerned authorities just because some of their relatives had been engaged in some objectionable activities years ago.
The Lieutenant Governor, on this, said that such cases should be identified and brought to his notice so that he will look into these cases.
Furthermore, Apni Party delegation expressed its discontent over the Waqf Board’s recent decision to end the institution of Sajjada Nashini in J&K shrines.
They informed the LG that shrines have had a traditional system of having Muttawalis (caretakers) for centuries. This system should not be ended abruptly. They informed him that people largely did not like the decision of removing Muttawalis from these revered places, thus it should be revoked. On this, the LG assured the Apni Party leaders that he will look into this matter.
Meanwhile, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari has expressed his satisfaction over the outcome of the meeting with the LG. He said, “I am satisfied and optimistic that Apni Party’s efforts for the restoration of the statehood will bear fruit.”
He urged the J&K people to support Apni Party for its efforts to get statehood restored. He said, “The statehood is a significant identity to Jammu and Kashmir and its people. We ought to fight to get our identity back.”
Apni Party President also urged the GoI to hold Assembly elections here as soon as possible. He said, “Holding an election is not a favour to the people, rather it is a basic right of the people. Delaying elections further would mean denying the right to the people. We live in a democratic country that is considered one of the largest democracies of the world, thus J&K people should not be deprived of their right to elect their government here.”
Besides Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, the party delegation included senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir, Parliamentary Committee Chairman Mohammad Dilawar Mir, Vice President Zaffar Iqbal Manhas, Vice President Aijaz Ahmed Khan, Party General Secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir, Additional General Secretary Hilal Ahmad Shah, Provincial President (Kashmir) Mohammad Ashraf Mir, Chief Coordinator Abdul Majeed Padder, Chief Spokesperson Javaid Hussain Baigh, State Secretary and District President Badgam Muntazir Mohiuddin, Provincial President for Women Wing of the party Dilshada Shaheen, District President Anantnag Abdul Rahim Rather, District President Srinagar Noor Mohammad Sheikh, District President Pulwama Ghulam Mohammad Mir, and District President Ganderbal Javaid Mir, and District President Bandipora Shafqat Kazmi.
(Note: Press Release Published as received)
