Srinagar, July 11: National Conference (NC) MP Syed Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Saturday distanced himself from the party’s proposed protest for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, saying he was neither invited to the recent party meeting nor would participate in the Jantar Mantar demonstration.
Speaking to reporters in Kulgam, Aga Ruhullah said he was occupied with pre-scheduled Muharram programmes and was not part of the discussions regarding the protest.
The Srinagar MP said his political focus remains on the restoration of Article 370 and the constitutional rights of Jammu and Kashmir, rather than limiting the demand to statehood alone.
Criticising the NC leadership’s approach, Ruhullah alleged that focusing only on statehood strengthens the Bharatiya Janata Party’s political narrative. He claimed that sidelining Article 370 amounts to accepting the constitutional changes made after August 5, 2019.
“They are pursuing the BJP’s agenda, while I will continue to work for the aspirations and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Ruhullah reiterated that the larger issues of identity, constitutional rights and democratic aspirations of the people must remain central to the political discourse in Jammu and Kashmir.
He also said that if Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had criticised the focus on statehood alone, he considered those remarks justified.
