Resume Darbar Move practice to encourage cultural exchange, people to people contact: Altaf Bukhari

Opposes move to convert Mubarak Mandi Palace into a hotel

Jammu, August 03, 2021: Asserting that the people of Kashmir cannot be separated from the people of Jammu, Apni Party President Syed Mohammed Altaf Bukhari today said that 149-years-old Darbar Move should resume as the biannual move of Civil Secretariat bring the people of two regions close to each other.

Various deputations today called on Apni Party President Syed Mohammed Altaf Bukhari at the Party Office in Gandhi Nagar and appraised him about issues being confronted by them. Their main concern was about stopping the practice of biannual Darbar Move, commercialization of Historic Mubarak Mandi Palace, issues of business community etc.

Addressing the deputations, Altaf Bukhari said that the Government should resume the bi-annual practice of darbar move as it provided opportunity of cultural exchange, better relationship between the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and boosts financial activities for six months in Jammu City and vice-e-versa.

“When darbar is in the winter capital, the employees with their families shift to Jammu from parts of Kashmir which helps in the growth of the economy of Jammu for six months and brings the people of two regions close to each other. Cultural exchange is important for a society which has seen difficult times in the past. Therefore, the Govt. should resume the practice of darbar move which is in the interest of people of Jammu and Kashmir,” said Bukhari.

The business activities have come down in Jammu. The traders believe that if the Darbar Move practice resumes, they will be able to overcome the financial losses they have suffered following August 2019 developments,” he said and urged the Government to rethink their decision and permit the old practice.

He said that “The students from Kashmir come for studies in Jammu. They get an overview of Jammu. When they meet each other, they get to understand that the problems being faced by the children of Kashmir and Jammu are common.”

Even during the worst situations in J&K, the practice exchanging cultural ethos and the people to people continued, he added while saying “I want to remind the people at helm of affairs that people of Jammu and people of Kashmir cannot be separated from each other.”

Expressing his displeasure over an attempt to convert the heritage site i.e., Mubarak Mandi Palace into a hotel, he said that the deputations which met him have expressed their anger over the decision of the Government.

“For how long the vandalization will continue. It is unfortunate that the decision to convert our heritage site into a hotel is taken by those who do not know about our history and historical importance of the Mubarak Mandi Palace. We will not tolerate the vandalization of our culture and history,” he said and appealed to the Lt Governor for his intervention so that the Palace is preserved and protected as a heritage site and promoted as a historic tourism place in Jammu City instead of converting it into a hotel.

He said that the Palace which is located within Jammu’s Old City is the pride of Dogras and the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

“We appeal to the people of Jammu to support the cause of the Apni Party for the protection and preservation of historic sites and oppose any attempt to commercialize such places. We strongly oppose such attempts and no one will be allowed to go ahead with the decision which is against the interest of Dogras of Jammu in particular,” he further said.

Meanwhile, a deputation of traders from Kanak Mandi also called on Altaf Bukhari and they had an issue of parking. They were assured that their issue will be taken up for its early redressal. A deputation of people living in Custodian allottees also called on the Apni Party President and highlighted their demands.

Another deputation of dentists also called on Altaf Bukhari. On listening to their issues, Bukhari suggested that the Govt. should employ them in NRHM. He said that they provided their service in covid19 times in Jammu and Kashmir and accordingly, their services should be utilized.

Meanwhile, a deputation from Keshwan, Kishtwar led by Sarpanch Farooq Krinban also met Altaf Bukhari. General Secretary, Vijay Bakaya, General Secretary, Vikram Malhotra, and Provincial President, Jammu, Manjit Singh were present on the occasion.