Altaf Bukhari dismisses NC’s statehood protest as ‘short-term politics’

Bandipora, 25 June:  Apni Party leader Altaf Bukhari on Thursday dismissed the National Conference’s campaign for the restoration of statehood, describing it as a short-term political move that would quickly disappear.

Speaking to reporters in north Kashmir’s Bandipora, Bukhari stated that the National Conference has a historical pattern of shifting its core political objectives once its immediate interests are secured.

“The National Conference has a track record,” Bukhari said. “In 1953, they declared the Plebiscite Front. Twenty-two years later, they called it vagrancy. Then they demanded Autonomy. Did it come? They abandoned it. Now they make off-the-cuff remarks about Statehood. This is also just for a few days. Once their own interests are fulfilled, you will see, after a month, this will amount to nothing.”

Bukhari noted that his own past political efforts to seek statehood were heavily criticized by the same leadership that is now organizing protests for the cause.

“In 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, decrees of betrayal and treason were issued against us just because we were asking for statehood, right?” Bukhari said.

 “They used to say we were implementing Delhi’s agenda. Man, we are just happy that today, you people are also saying that this is what the people need.”

Addressing the National Conference’s invitation to other political parties to join a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Bukhari rejected the approach as informal.

“Look, this isn’t some offer for biryani that you just tell the people of Jammu and Kashmir, ‘Come, have some biryani,'” Bukhari said.

 “This requires consultation. The standard practice for political parties is to consult each other first to decide how to approach a problem.”

Bukhari concluded by asserting that regardless of the current focus on administrative status, the loss of special status remains a permanent issue for the public.

“But I will say one thing: after giving statehood, bringing it, whoever brings it, the people of Jammu and Kashmir will never forget Article 370,” Bukhari said.