Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari on Monday said there is no place in J&K for UP-Bihar’s mining and liquor mafia and “we” will not allow loot of natural resources of J&K by outsiders.

Addressing a public rally in Vijaypur, Bukhari said that the 200-year-old J&K state was reduced into a Union Territory and then it was divided into Ladakh and J&K creating a perception among the people that the scrapping of Articles 370 and 35A was important to allow development in J&K.

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“In last four years, we have not seen any development. Instead, the mining and liquor mafia from UP and Bihar have taken over the natural resources and started unchecked loot under the nose of the present Government which is doing nothing,” he said, expressing anger over the growing unemployment, underdevelopment, and poor health care facilities at the village level.

He said that “We will not allow these outsiders in J&K. The resources of J&K belong to the people of the erstwhile State and if we come to power, we will throw them out of Lakhanpur. He called upon the people of Samba and Kathua to become vigilant and not allow such people who take over the rights of the locals in employment, resources and other sectors.”

The people of Jammu are in great distress because of the BJP which misled them when they revoked the special status on 5 August 2019 pretending that flood gates of development and employment will open thereafter.

Suddenly the Darbar Move practice was also stopped by the Government which was against the economic interests of Jammu businessmen. I want to ask a question to the business community in Jammu who support BJP whether the decision was in their favour.

“However, if the Apni Party comes to power, we will restore the Darbar Move practice in favour of the two regions, their people, and the business community; he said and condemned the BJP for its role in creating division in the society.

He said that it was the fault of the people who trusted the BJP which has misled them due to hollow slogans and now it has snatched every right of the people including resources, and land which needs to be protected at all costs by the Apni Party.

Bukhari said that National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party in Kashmir and BJP and Congress Party in Jammu have misled the people to continue their rotational rule in J&K but did nothing for the masses.

He questioned those who celebrated the abrogation of special status and said that time has come when people have to stand up like Punjab and fight back to throw the mafia out of J&K.

“We have to fight like people in Punjab where they changed the traditional political parties and made a choice for a better future. Therefore, the people of J&K should also support the Apni Party for equitable development and employment,” he said.

He said that if his party comes to power will revamp health care facilities at the village level, round the clock electricity (500 units free in summers in Jammu and 300 units in winter seasons and in Kashmir 500 units free electricity during winters and in summers the people in Kashmir will get 300 units of free electricity), the better education system in Government schools in comparison to private schools, increase health insurance from Rs 5 lakhs up to Rs 10 lakhs, extend beneficiaries schemes to the women and overall development in J&K with protection to jobs and land for the locals only.