Srinagar, Jan 2: A verbal confrontation unfolded between Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his party’s Lok Sabha member, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, on Thursday, following Mehdi’s participation in an anti-reservation protest outside Abdullah’s residence last month.
In a media interaction, Abdullah challenged Mehdi to take his protest for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood to Delhi when the Lok Sabha reconvenes.
Mehdi responded quickly via social media, accepting the challenge. “I have been informed about the desire to protest for statehood in Delhi. I am ready to participate and will invite others prioritizing statehood to organize it. I will also seek support from over 100 MPs. There is no better time than January, when India’s Constitution was adopted, the very document that once enshrined our special status,” he wrote.
The National Conference MP from Srinagar further emphasized his ongoing commitment to the restoration of Article 370. “The abrogation of Article 370 was a deliberate humiliation, a wound inflicted upon us. The subsequent demotion to a Union Territory reinforced this indignity,” Mehdi asserted.
He stated that since 2019, his political stance had remained clear. “At public gatherings in Budgam and across Kashmir, I have repeatedly told my people that our fight must be for the restoration of Article 370 and the dignity it represents,” Mehdi said.
The influential Shia leader described the abrogation of Article 370 as a political statement declaring that Jammu and Kashmir’s sacrifices were inconsequential. “The abrogation was a calculated attempt to break our spirit and dictate our future. In light of this betrayal, I cannot settle for the hollow promise of statehood,” he continued.
Mehdi insisted that the fight should be for dignity, identity, and autonomy, stating, “Our voices should rise for our honor first. I will continue to raise mine, louder each time. The Tree Remembers.”
The BJP-led Centre’s decision to abrogate Article 370 in August 2019 and convert Jammu and Kashmir into Union territories has fueled ongoing political tensions and demands for the restoration of statehood.
Earlier, Abdullah addressed questions about his communication with Mehdi, saying, “I interact with him as I do with other party colleagues. It’s not like I used to send him good morning messages; our interaction is consistent.”
This public exchange highlights the ongoing divisions within Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape, particularly over the abrogation of Article 370 and the push for statehood.
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