Kashmir Valley Witnessing Change: Political Party Held an Election Campaign at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid, Once Famous for Stone Pelting and Election Boycotts
Kashmir Valley Witnessing Change: Political Party Held an Election Campaign at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid, Once Famous for Stone Pelting and Election Boycotts
The Kashmir Valley is witnessing a change, for the first time in the last three decades, as election campaign rallies are being held in areas which were once considered volatile and no-go zones. A regional political party held an election campaign at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid in the Nowhatta area of Downtown. The same area was once famous for stone pelting and election boycotts.
The chief of APNI Party Altaf Bukhari held a roadshow from Dastgeer Sahib’s shrine in Khanyar to the historic Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta in the downtown area of Srinagar on Monday. People and party workers attended this rally in huge numbers and it eventually culminated at the historic Jamia Masjid.
Altaf Bukhari hailed people of Shehr-e-Khaas for their immense support and cooperation in ensuring peaceful atmosphere, saying: “The visit to downtown areas was impossible without the support of the people of Shehr-e-Khas”.
“The aim of public outreach is to make people of Shahr-e-Khaas aware that Apni Party is with you and we will try every bit to ease your sufferings. Our party is committed to bring back the lost glory of Shahr-e-Khaas,” Bukhari told reporters
Replying to a query over the statement of Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in which he had said Lok Sabha polls shouldn’t be equated with referendum, Bukhari said: “I think Mirwaiz never believed in violence. It was a baseless narrative. His family has suffered violence since 1947. Even I was dubbed an agent four years before, but I stood firm and didn’t succumb”.
I am sure Mirwaiz will support Apni party’s politics of truth and honesty
Bukhari toured several areas of Srinagar’s old city on Monday and also offered prayers at Srinagar’s historic Jamia masjid here. Talking to reporters, the Apni Party Chief said that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s stature as a religious preacher is higher than any political leader of Jammu and Kashmir. ‘Everyone respects Umar Saheb because of his stature as the Mirwaiz of Kashmir. We have an emotional attachment not only with Mirwaiz Umar Saheb but with the entire Mirwaiz family. This family has made significant contributions to our society over decades. Mirwaiz Umar has never supported violence in Kashmir. In fact, he and his family have been victims of violence. I am sure that Mirwaiz supports the Apni party’s politics of truth and honesty,” Bukhari said.