Distances himself from statehood protest
Kulgam, Jul 11: National Conference Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Saturday said the party “doesn’t need” him anymore, saying he was neither invited nor present at the party convention. He also distanced himself from the party’s Jantar Mantar protest on statehood.
Speaking to reporters in Kulgam, Ruhullah, per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said he did not attend the party convention to mark Begum Akbar Jahan’s death anniversary as he was neither invited nor required to attend.
“How many times do I have to answer this question? They don’t need me. I was not called and I was not there. I already had programmes in Kulgam, Srinagar and other places in connection with Muharram, so I remained busy. They don’t need me anymore,” he said.
Asked whether he would participate in the National Conference’s Jantar Mantar protest, he ruled out his participation, saying his focus would remain on issues concerning the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“They are going to protest for statehood, a responsibility for which people have not given them a mandate. I will go among the people of Jammu and Kashmir and speak about Article 370. I will work on the people’s agenda,” Ruhullah said.
He alleged that shifting the political discourse from Article 370 to statehood amounts to advancing the BJP’s narrative.
“The National Conference had campaigned against the abrogation of Article 370 during the elections. We all campaigned on that issue. Whoever walks away from that and speaks only about statehood is helping normalise the status quo and advancing the BJP’s propaganda,” he said. (KNO)
