Srinagar, Jul 25: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Saturday questioned the participation of Jammu and Kashmir leaders in the student protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, saying they should have shown the same commitment to issues within the Union Territory, where, according to him, thousands of youths have been arrested but the matter has failed to attract national attention.
Bukhari made the remarks while responding to a question from reporters after a party function at the Apni Party headquarters here. A journalist referred to the participation of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi in the ongoing student protest over the paper leak issue in New Delhi and sought his reaction.
Replying to the question, Bukhari said the concerns of the protesting students were genuine and deserved to be addressed.
“I think the students and the common people should be heard. The government should not make it an issue of prestige. Ultimately, the government is a representative of the people and of their hopes. If it appears that the hopes of the people have been hurt, then those issues should be addressed,” he said.
He, however, said he wished political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir had displayed the same resolve over issues affecting people in the Union Territory.
“I wish our leaders were outside our police stations. Where 3,500 children have been arrested, I wish they would have gone there,” Bukhari said.
He went on to suggest that leaders preferred to participate in protests in the national capital because they attracted wider media coverage and public attention.
“There is no news in Jammu and Kashmir. No international media covers it. No political leaders of India come here. No people from the film industry, from Bollywood, come here,” he said.
Bukhari said issues in Jammu and Kashmir often remain unnoticed outside the region, unlike protests held in New Delhi, which receive extensive national media coverage.
During the interaction, Bukhari also said the growing support for the Apni Party reflected what he described as public disappointment with the ruling government and other mainstream political parties.
“We are trying to convey our message to the people, and I am happy that my colleagues are succeeding in taking the party’s message to the masses. The failures of this government and its false promises have enabled people to see the truth clearly,” he said.
He alleged that voters had been misled during the 2024 Assembly elections.
“I feel the people were deceived by lies. It is not only the present government; the other political parties are also responsible. Today, people from all walks of life—common citizens, businessmen, artists and professionals—are joining this platform because it belongs to the people, not to any one family,” he said.
Responding to another question on the recent security situation in Kashmir, Bukhari termed the killing of a cop by terrorists as unfortunate and said civilians continued to bear the consequences of security lapses.
“It is very saddening. We have been saying for the past several days that this is wrong. There may be intelligence failures, but the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir, our children and our elders, are the ones who suffer the consequences,” he said.
Bukhari also alleged that governance had taken a back seat in the Union Territory.
“There is no accountability. Those who have been elected are focused on their seats, while those in authority are focused on imprisoning the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. I do not see any other focus,” he said.
He further expressed concern over rising cancer cases, environmental degradation and civic problems, saying the government needed to pay greater attention to issues affecting the daily lives of people.