Kupwara, Aug 26: Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari on Wednesday assured protection to Kashmiri Pandits, saying they are an integral part of Kashmir’s culture. He accused Omar Abdullah-led government of failing to fulfil its election promises.
Bukhari was speaking to media at the Apni Party office in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.
“Enemies of peace are behind the threats to Kashmiri Pandits. Kashmiri Pandits are an important part of our culture and the people of Kashmir will protect them,” Bukhari said.
Apni Party President while accusing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of forgetting the promises made in the election manifesto, said that the gap between those commitments and the present situation was unfortunate and amounted to a betrayal of the public mandate.
Bukhari said that Apni Party had promised protection of land, government jobs and restoration of statehood to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He said two of the three commitments had been already addressed, while statehood remained to be restored. “We had promised the people of Jammu and Kashmir that Apni Party would ensure protection to land, government jobs and statehood. Out of the three, two stand completed and statehood is yet to be fulfilled. Let the present dispensation toil for it, but they seem to be doing nothing in that regard,” Bukhari added.
“The existing protection for land and government jobs had been granted for 15 years. My party would work to extend it up to 50 years,” he said.
On Statehood, Bukhari said all political parties were seeking its restoration and expressed hope that Jammu and Kashmir would regain statehood soon.
Reacting to reports about Aga Ruhullah’s resignation, Bukhari said he could not comment on the matter as it was an internal issue of National Conference.
Bukhari also criticised the government over water shortages across Jammu and Kashmir and alleged that the present dispensation had failed to take adequate measures to address the crisis.
Bukhari further accused the Omar Abdullah government of misleading the people and said it had failed to meet their aspirations and expectations, for which people must make them accountable.
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