Anantnag, May 07: Member of Parliament (MP) and senior National Conference (NC) leader Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the functioning of the present dispensation, saying he cannot “commit the mistake” of campaigning for those who have “deceived the people”.
Speaking to reporters in the Bijbehara area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, Ruhullah expressed serious reservations over the performance of the current government while maintaining that his views remain in line with the broader ideology and commitments of the National Conference.
“I cannot commit a mistake by campaigning for those who deceived the people,” Mehdi said while responding to questions regarding his political stand and criticism of the government.
The MP asserted that the concerns he has been raising publicly are rooted in the promises and commitments made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “The policy of National Conference is the same that I am speaking about,” he said, indicating that his criticism is aimed at governance and performance rather than the party’s foundational political ideology.
However, Ruhullah openly acknowledged dissatisfaction with the functioning of the present administration and said he has objections to its performance on several fronts. When asked how long he would continue in the NC while maintaining such a critical stand, the MP hinted at a possible political development in the near future.
“You will come to know about it very soon,” he said without elaborating further, triggering speculation in political circles.
Mehid called for empowering the youth economically and said the younger generation in Jammu and Kashmir must become job creators rather than remain dependent on government employment.
“Our youth need to become job givers instead of job seekers,” he said, underlining the importance of entrepreneurship, innovation and economic self-reliance.
Commenting on recent political developments in West Bengal, Ruhullah alleged that constitutional principles and democratic norms had been undermined. He said the events that unfolded there ran counter to the spirit of the Constitution and the country’s unity.
“Whatever happened in Bengal was against the Constitution of India and against the unity and spirit of the country. It will have very bad consequences,” he said
The NC MP further alleged that the foundations of fair and free elections had been compromised through communal polarisation and misuse of institutions. “Every basis for fair and free elections was violated, and everything was done on the basis of communalism and polarisation,” he said.
Ruhullah also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using agencies and officials to target political opponents during elections in Bengal. “BJP used agencies, UP officials and others against those who were fighting elections against the BJP in Bengal,” he alleged.
Referring to remarks made by a BJP chief ministerial face in Bengal, Ruhullah said any statement suggesting governance for one community alone goes against the very foundation of India’s secular and democratic framework.
“The statement that someone would work only for Hindus is against the basis of the country, and it will have a bad impact in the long run,” he said.
Drawing a strong comparison, Ruhullah further claimed that the BJP appeared to be moving beyond the slogan of “One Nation, One Election” toward what he termed “One Nation, One Party”.
“In North Korea, there is an announced dictatorship, but here it is an unannounced dictatorship,” he said.
The MP also spoke on the growing drug menace in Jammu and Kashmir and called for collective efforts to combat narcotics and rehabilitate addicts. At the same time, he cautioned against punitive actions that impact innocent family members.
“We all need to fight against drug peddlers and help drug addicts leave this menace, but it should not be used to bulldoze the houses of innocent persons. If one person in a family has committed a mistake, the whole family should not become a victim,” he said.
The MP also referred to the controversy surrounding the reservation issue in the Assembly and said the humiliation faced by the MLA from Bijbehara was not an individual matter alone.
“The MLA Bijbehara was humiliated in the Assembly over the reservation issue, and it was not only his humiliation but the humiliation of everyone,” he said.
However, he also questioned the political stance of the concerned MLA, stating that the same legislator was later seen closely accompanying the same ministers just days after the incident.
“You also need to know the stand of the concerned MLA as he was seen with the same ministers neck to neck just days after the humiliation,” Ruhullah added—(KNO)
