Arteev Sharma
Jammu: The internal rift within the National Conference (NC) seems to be widening as senior party leader and Lok Sabha member from Srinagar, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, intensifies his criticism of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, saying, “Kashmiris are not just disappointed but are also worried about him (CM).”
The senior NC leader also cautioned that Omar Abdullah risks being seen as “New Delhi’s representative” unless he takes a decisive lead in the struggle for the restoration of Article 370 and statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.
“The people of Kashmir are not only disappointed but also worried about Chief Minister Omar Abdullah,” Ruhullah said in an interview while expressing concerns about the growing disconnect between the NC leadership and its mandate.
In a veiled critique, Ruhullah added, “He (Omar Abdullah) should not distance himself from the people of Jammu and Kashmir or from the mandate that the National Conference secured in October 2024.”
“The NC has received a different mandate this time compared to the past. It comes after the abrogation of Article 370. Today, the assembly is constituted with this mandate. The people of Jammu and Kashmir exercised their wisdom and expressed their faith in the process of democracy despite the undemocratic and unconstitutional abrogation of Article 370. The betrayal was there. The writing on the wall was there……It is a political message and a political disapproval of the decisions taken after August 05, 2019,” said Ruhullah.
Ruhullah said, “I believe this mandate carries a huge responsibility, and one has to be very careful in addressing the aspirations of the people. Mr. Omar Abdullah has to be extremely cautious and careful in handling this mandate,” the senior NC leader said.
Ruhullah’s remarks come amid escalating tensions within the party. He has been facing criticism from his colleagues over his participation in a protest outside the Chief Minister’s residence. Minister for Health and Medical Education Sakina Itoo has openly condemned Ruhullah’s actions, calling the protest a “cheap publicity stunt.”
“Does Omar Abdullah have a magic wand that he will wave around and your job will be done? For cheap publicity, you get yourself clicked by the media and then claim that you are trying to pressurize the government,” Itoo said. She added, “What pressure will you put on the government? The government is not under anyone’s pressure; we will do the work that is in our hands without any pressure.”
The BJP too has upped the ante against the National Conference, saying “The NC leadership should “remove Ruhullah from party for making anti-people statement.”
The BJP has questioned that whether NC supports Ruhullah’s “fear politics” attempting to instill fear in tourists and the common people. “The statement, in which MP Ruhullah stated that tourism causes cultural invasion in Kashmir is dangerous for a democratic setup. It is harmful to peace and progress. Is this the new political strategy of NC, which historically runs on the politics of ‘fear’. NC should tell, whether it stands in favour of this statement,” the BJP has said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Ruhullah also warned that ignoring the mandate and aspirations of the people of J&K would be disastrous, not just for Kashmir but for the entire concept of India in Jammu and Kashmir.
Over the response Chief Minister Omar Abdullah received from the Prime Minister and the Home Minister after his efforts to engage with the Modi government, the NC Lok Sabha member described it as “disrespectful.”
Expressing concern over the delay in granting statehood, the NC leader said, “The delay is very worrying”. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir are more committed than ever to the restoration of Article 370,” he claimed.
He also took on the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for running a “parallel government” in Jammu and Kashmir, and “acting like a boss to undermine the authority of a democratically elected government”.
