Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Tarun Chugh on Saturday compared party leader Mushtaq Bukhari to Mahatma Gandhi and former South African President Nelson Mandela, praising his efforts in bringing ‘freedom’ to the Pahari community in Jammu and Kashmir.
Bukhari, a 75-year-old politician, has been fielded by the BJP from Surankot, a Scheduled Tribe reserved constituency in the Jammu region.
While canvassing for him in the constituency, Chugh, who oversees party’s activities in Jammu and Kashmir, drew attention to Bukhari’s efforts to support the Pahari community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
“Jo kaam Mahatma Gandhi ne kiya tha koi bhool nahi sakta. Jis bhi party ki sarkar aaye lekin log Nelson Mandela ko nahi bhool sakte. Waise he Pahari kabile ko azadi dilane ka kaam yahan ke Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Bukhari sahab ne kiya hai ( The work that Mahatma Gandhi did can never be forgotten. No matter which party comes to power, people will never forget Nelson Mandela. Similarly, here, Bukhari Sahab, the Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela of the tribal community has worked to bring them freedom,” said Tarun Chugh.
Video: https://x.com/SMBukhari1949/status/1834994881250435248
After a nearly four-decade affiliation with the National Conference, Bukhari parted ways with the party in February 2022 due to a disagreement with Farooq Abdullah over ST status for the Pahari community.
Two years later, on February 15, the Pahari leader joined the BJP, citing his promise to join the party that would grant ST status to the Pahari community.
A two-time former legislator from Surankote in Poonch district, Bukhari was once a close confidant of National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah.
Bukhari, a revered spiritual leader known as “peer sahab” in the Muslim community, wields significant influence in the Pahari community, which numbers around 12.5 lakh across Rajouri, Poonch, Baramulla, and Kupwara districts.
In February, during its budget session, Parliament approved reservations for the Pahari ethnic tribe, Paddari tribe, Kolis, and Gadda Brahmins.
Surankot will go to the polls in the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections on September 25.