Suhail Rather
Bandipora, Jun 25: Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari on Thursday criticised the National Conference’s campaign on the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, saying the issue was too important to be reduced to political sloganeering and required wider consultation among stakeholders.
Speaking to reporters here, Bukhari took a swipe at the NC’s proposed protest at Jantar Mantar, saying the restoration of statehood was not a “biryani distribution exercise” and could not be pursued through unilateral political decisions.
He said the demand for statehood remained a legitimate aspiration of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and should not be used for political mileage.
The Apni Party chief also accused the NC of attempting to divert public attention from pressing issues, particularly the controversy surrounding the outsourcing of government jobs.
Bukhari said the outsourcing issue was not a political contest between the NC and the PDP but a matter directly linked to the future and employment prospects of thousands of unemployed youth in Jammu and Kashmir.
He urged the government to address the concerns of job seekers and ensure transparency and fairness in recruitment-related decisions.
“If the government thinks people will not know who is being appointed and on what basis, it is mistaken,” he said.
Referring to recent remarks by BJP leaders that statehood would be restored at an “appropriate time”, Bukhari said the demand had been raised consistently over the years and should not be exploited for electoral gains.
He alleged that the NC was attempting to revive the issue for political purposes and said the focus should instead remain on addressing unemployment and governance-related concerns.
Bukhari said matters of public importance required collective engagement and consultation rather than political theatrics.(KNS).
