Srinagar, Jun 17 (KNS): Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari on Wednesday came down heavily on the National Conference-led administration over the severe scarcity of ration and cooking gas in the Valley, while dismissing the Omar Abdullah government's proposed protest in Delhi for restoration of statehood as a "new political drama".
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a party function, Apni Party chief as per news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) voiced serious concern over the hardships being faced by the common people. "Where is the government? Has anyone seen it? I feel ashamed. I have told them so many times, but they don't feel ashamed. Now I feel ashamed," he said.
The Apni Party chief pointed out that residents in Srinagar are left without rice after the 16th of every month. "Where are the 10 kilos of ration? People don't have rice in Srinagar after the 16th day. When a child asks his mother for food, what will she do? We Kashmiris eat rice, but we don't have rice. The NC took a vote the other day and said they will give 10 kilos more — where is it?Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel" he questioned.
Altaf Bukhari also slammed the administration over the cumbersome system of cooking gas distribution, alleging that the process has been made needlessly complex. "We don't have gas. Today they say your name isn't on the cylinder list. Gas used to be delivered home. You said six cylinders, now they will give. What should I say? What should I say to the dead? They are dead. They don't care about anything," he added.
When asked about the NC's scheduled protest in Delhi demanding statehood, Altaf Bukhari termed the exercise a political gimmick. "They have to take permission for everything. They have to run everything. They have to keep a chair. People voted. People don't need five years of knowledge. After five years, they will find a new drama. They will find something else," he remarked.
On being told that some party workers see Apni Party as a "ray of hope", Bukhari said, "May Allah make the people who see hope in us, we become worthy of it. I will pray to Allah. What else can I say?" (KNS)