New Delhi: Chief of newly-formed ‘JK Apni Party’ Altaf Bukhari met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday during which the minister allayed fears of demographic changes in Jammu and Kashmir and also assured for the early return of statehood.
Emerging after a nearly two-hour-long meeting with the home minister, Bukhari, a businessman-turned-politician who led a delegation of the party, said various issues, including the apprehension of people of a possible demographic change, early restoration of statehood and release of political prisoners were discussed.
“The home minister made it clear that there was no question on the issue of any demographic change,” Bukhari said.
He said the home minister also reiterated that the government was committed for early restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and also said that the process of delimitation would be completed in the most scientific manner at the earliest.On the release of political detainees, who were detained after August 5 last year when the Centre revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The meeting came a day after the delegation had called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla and other senior officers were present at the meeting.
During the meeting, the home minister also assured the delegation that the domicile rights of people would be protected, Bukhari said.
The JK Apni Party chief also raised various other issues, including autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir Bank, age relaxation of youths from union territory appearing in Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams, relief in horticulture and agriculture, besides the tourism sectors.
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This talk of demography change is just humbug. I am from Hyderabad. My state’s demography has not changed (except for the illegal migrants from the neighboring countries being sheltered in some parts of Hyderabad) despite having open borders with the Union of India 70+ years. What’s more, those who came to Hyderabad from everywhere during these seven decades have only enriched the vibrancy of my city. There has been absolutely no damage to the Telugu identity of my state. I daresay the same is true for most other states of India. So, enough of this empty talk about abrogation of 370 being a threat to the demography of J&K.
These are the very issues Article 370 was enacted to address. The provision was more sinned against than sinning.