Azad-Led DPAP Gains Strength with NPP Leader Anita Thakur’s Joining

19-04-2023 : National Panthers Party (NPP) leader Anita Thakur has joined the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) led by Ghulam Nabi Azad in Jammu. Thakur, who is the 55-year-old general secretary of NPP, was welcomed into DPAP by Azad and other senior party leaders. Azad expressed his satisfaction with Thakur’s joining, stating that she is an experienced politician who has served NPP for decades under the leadership of the secular and powerful opposition leader Prof Bhim Singh.

Thakur stated that she joined DPAP because it upholds the ideology of “Haq aur Insaaf” (right and justice), and advocates for secularism and brotherhood, which were the same principles propagated by Singh throughout his life. Thakur emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir is going through a challenging phase, particularly after the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories. She believes that leaders like Azad need to be strengthened to fight for the restoration of their rights and reunite Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Thakur also criticized the J-K administration’s plans for a fresh anti-encroachment drive to retrieve state land, expressing solidarity with the people who have occupied the land for the last seven decades. She appealed to Lt Governor Manoj Sinha not to proceed with the anti-encroachment drive, as it would create chaos and cause injustice to the people. Azad also voiced his opposition to the drive, stating that in other parts of the country, state governments are regularizing such colonies, while in Jammu and Kashmir, people are being deprived of their land unjustly.