Tavleen Singh joins JKAP with nearly 200 youths and 100 prominent citizens from Arnia
Jammu: Calling upon the youth to take an active role in shaping the future of Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari today said meaningful political change could come only when the younger generation takes charge of the region’s political and social affairs.Bukhari was addressing a joining programme at the party headquarters in Gandhi Nagar, Jammu, where former NSUI Joint Secretary Tableen Bobarai, along with nearly 200 youths and around 100 prominent citizens from Arnia, joined the Apni Party under his leadership. Prominent among those who joined included Rajwant Singh Raji, Sagar Singh Charak ,Buta Singh ,Alyas ,Irfan, Jaskaran.The programme was organised by J&K Apni Party Jammu Provincial President S. Manjit Singh.Welcoming the new entrants, Bukhari congratulated Tavleen Singh and the other members of the joining groups and expressed confidence that their induction would further strengthen the party at the grassroots level.Tavleen said the decision to join the Apni Party was influenced by what he described as its emphasis on speaking openly about issues confronting the people.
Speaking in the context of the new entrants, Bukhari said the youth represented the most important segment of society and should not remain mere spectators in political affairs.“You have to bring the change. Until you bring the change, the politics of Jammu and Kashmir will also not improve,” he said, urging the young entrants to actively participate in public life.Bukhari said the younger generation had to take responsibility for the future of Jammu and Kashmir and focus political attention on issues that directly affected their lives.
He also told the new entrants that they had not joined the Apni Party to become employees of any individual or family, but had been provided a political platform to serve the people.“This is a party of the people, for the people,” he said, while asking the new members to remain connected with their respective communities.
Interacting with reporters after the joining programme, Bukhari spoke at length on a range of issues confronting Jammu and Kashmir, with healthcare, unemployment, statehood restoration, electricity, governance and political accountability dominating the interaction.On the ongoing strike by National Health Mission (NHM) employees and their demand for an increase in remuneration, Bukhari termed their demand legitimate and urged the administration to wake up and address their grievances. He questioned the functioning of the health administration and said that the Chief Secretary, being the head of the administration, must take serious note of the problems confronting the health sector and ensure corrective measures.
Responding to a question on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Bukhari said the immediate concern should be the survival and well-being of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He questioned the priority being given to wider political debates when basic healthcare services remain inadequate. “UCC is for those people who will stay alive,” he said, stressing that his immediate concern was to ensure that people had access to hospitals, doctors and essential medical services.
On the performance of the elected government as it approaches two years in office, Bukhari alleged that the government had “lost its way” from the beginning and had failed to adequately address the basic problems of the people. He also criticised the opposition, saying that political parties should focus on issues concerning ordinary citizens rather than remaining caught up in political rhetoric.
He said political parties should make promises that were practical and achievable instead of making commitments that could not realistically be fulfilled. Referring to the employment situation, Bukhari said Jammu and Kashmir has a large pool of educated youth seeking opportunities and maintained that providing jobs and livelihood opportunities must be among the foremost priorities of any government.
On restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Bukhari said there was “no other way” but to pursue the issue through dialogue and persuasion. He maintained that confrontation would not help and that the political leadership must put forward a reasoned and convincing case before the Union Government. He said Jammu and Kashmir had a long historical and constitutional association with the Indian Union and argued that the demand for statehood should be taken forward through democratic engagement.
Asked about the proposed all-party meeting and whether it could lead to any significant decisions, Bukhari said political meetings should ultimately focus on matters affecting the people. He emphasised that issues concerning employees, students, healthcare, taxation and public welfare should receive serious attention. On questions concerning financial burdens and taxation, Bukhari said the government should be cautious about adding to the burden of employees, students and other sections already facing difficulties. He particularly referred to healthcare personnel and interns and said their genuine concerns should be addressed.
Healthcare remained one of the strongest themes of Bukhari’s interaction with the media. Referring to the situation in Bani, he said he had learnt that the Sub-District Hospital had been without a gynaecologist for around a decade, forcing women to travel long distances for childbirth and specialised medical care.He also referred to a sonography machine reportedly lying unused at a hospital because of the absence of a person to operate it.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelQuestioning the mismatch between infrastructure and manpower, he said providing equipment alone was not enough unless trained personnel were available to deliver services.
Bukhari also raised questions about the functioning of Rajouri Medical College and alleged that a substantial proportion of patients were being referred to Government Medical College Jammu. He questioned the purpose of a medical institution offering specialised services if patients continued to be referred outside the region for treatment. He also criticized BJP for patting its back of establishing AIIMS in Vijaypur when patients from there are being referred to Govt Medical College Jammu.He called for an examination of the functioning of healthcare institutions and said human lives could not be compromised. “Healthcare is a universal right,” he maintained, stressing that people in remote and hilly areas should have access to essential medical services close to their homes.
On the broader concerns of the people, Bukhari said Jammu and Kashmir did not need unrealistic promises but basic necessities of life.“We don't ask for the moon and stars. We ask for the necessities of life,” he said, listing healthcare, employment, drinking water and electricity among the fundamental requirements of the people.He questioned the electricity burden on consumers, pointing out that Jammu and Kashmir contributes power to the northern grid while ordinary people within the region continue to face high electricity charges.Similarly, he questioned the gap between announcements regarding tap water and the actual availability of drinking water in different areas, saying that access to safe drinking water should be treated as a basic public necessity rather than merely a political slogan.
Bukhari also raised allegations of corruption and delays in government offices, saying citizens should not have to face unnecessary hurdles to obtain legitimate government services. He called for greater administrative accountability and transparency.Asked about criticism that the Apni Party is called B team of BJP and maintains close links with the Union Government, Bukhari rejected the suggestion that meeting Union leaders amounted to political subservience.He said political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir had every right to meet the Prime Minister and other Union leaders to place the concerns of the people before them. According to him, engagement with the Union Government was part of democratic politics and should not automatically be portrayed negatively.
Responding to allegations, Bukhari said his party was not controlled by any political family. He reiterated that the Apni Party was intended to be a platform for the people and claimed that its strength came from its workers and public support.On questions relating to reservation and proposed changes concerning different categories, Bukhari said the issue required detailed discussion rather than political statements.He raised questions about how reservation benefits should be distributed and whether benefits should continue to remain concentrated among particular families or individuals. He said the matter was important enough to merit a detailed seminar and wider public discussion.
On speculation regarding possible political changes within the National Conference, Bukhari said he did not foresee any “skyfall” and remarked that if one person resigned, another could take his place. He maintained that the internal affairs of another political party were ultimately for that party to decide.Bukhari also underlined the importance of democratic politics in Jammu and Kashmir. He said political disagreements and opposition should be pursued through democratic means and maintained that opposition to a government should not mean opposition to democratic institutions.
He said his party would continue to raise issues concerning the people and would oppose policies it believed were against public interest while remaining committed to democratic processes.Concluding his interaction, Bukhari appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to rise above politics based solely on religion and regional divisions.He said the people of Jammu had been mobilised in the name of religion while people in Kashmir had, according to him, been mobilised in the name of region. The need of the hour, he said, was to focus on common issues affecting people across Jammu and Kashmir.He called upon people, particularly the youth, to become more politically aware and take charge of their future, saying that employment, healthcare, electricity, drinking water, accountable governance and development should occupy the centre stage of political discourse.
Welcoming Tavleen Singh, the youths and prominent citizens from Arnia, S. Manjit Singh said the Apni Party would stand by the new entrants and assured them that they would not be left alone after joining the organisation.He said the party’s expansion was the result of sustained grassroots work and direct engagement with people.Manjit Singh congratulated the new entrants and said the Apni Party would continue to provide a platform to those willing to work for the welfare and development of Jammu and Kashmir.
Prominent among those present on the occasion were former MLA and Senior Vice President Faqir Nath, State President Kissan Wing Badri Nath Sharma, Provincial Secretary and Trade Wing In-charge Ajaz Kazmi, SC Wing President Bodh Raj Bhagat, Vice President Arun Chibber, Provincial President Women Wing Pavneet Kour, Youth President Vishal Singh Naryania, Jammu District President Abhay Bakaya, R.S. Pura District President Harpreet Singh, Rural District President Pushdev Uppal among other senior party leaders and workers.(KN)