Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Saturday renewed his call for the withdrawal of cases registered against young people in Jammu and Kashmir over the years, saying that giving them a genuine opportunity to rebuild their lives is imperative for achieving lasting peace, stability and social healing in the Union Territory.
Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Independence Day celebrations organised by the Apni Party at its headquarters at M2 Church Lane in Srinagar.
The party leaders and senior workers gathered at the party headquarters at M2 Church Lane, Srinagar, today to celebrate the country’s 80th Independence Day with great enthusiasm.
A jubilant atmosphere prevailed on the occasion as the party president hoisted the Tricolour amid enthusiastic celebrations and patriotic slogans raised by the leaders and senior workers present on the occasion.
After the event, speaking to reporters, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said, “It gives me immense pleasure to see that people across Jammu and Kashmir celebrated the nation’s 80th Independence Day with great enthusiasm and patriotic spirit. I only wish that the youngsters and elderly persons who were called to and kept in police stations today had also been given an opportunity to join these celebrations. After all, they are an integral part of society and need to be amalgamated into it and given a chance to resume their normal lives with their families.”
Reiterating his demand for the withdrawal of cases against the youth, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said, “These cases should be withdrawn, even if such withdrawal is made subject to the condition that no further complaint should be lodged against them for the next five years.”
He went on to say, “Giving the youth a fresh start is essential for healing wounds, rebuilding trust, and paving the way for a peaceful and stable Jammu and Kashmir.”
Appreciating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of free online coaching for competitive examinations and noting that coaching classes are a burden on the poor and middle class, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said that the UT government should also take a cue from this initiative and waive examination fees for recruitment and selection processes conducted by the concerned authorities, so that the financial burden on unemployed youth seeking jobs can be eased.
He said that the expenses for these examinations should be met from the Education Budget of the Union Territory.
Meanwhile, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari demanded adequate compensation for those who suffered losses in recent natural calamity incidents.
He said, “It is painful to see victims and sufferers wailing and crying over their losses. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure adequate support for such victims. The government can also explore further options, such as involving the general public in ensuring assistance to those affected.”
He further said, “We are a Zakat-giving society. If our resources are channelled properly, we can do a great deal to help those in need. There should be a genuine will and commitment to act. We can make it a collective responsibility to cope with such natural tragedies and extend support to victims, regardless of where they come from.”
“When tragedy strikes, we should stand together as one society. No family affected by a natural disaster should not be left to face its suffering alone,” he added.
