NC MP says situation within party is not improving; proposes CM Omar Abdullah resign as CM and enter Parliament to lead fight for restoration of Article 370, constitutional guarantees and statehood
Srinagar, Aug 17: National Conference MP from Srinagar Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Monday has indicated that he will resign from the party after taking his political fight for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional protections to a “certain level”, while asserting that he is not talking about a year but “a few months”.
In an exclusive interview with Kashmir News Service, as per news agency JKNS, Ruhullah said reports suggesting that he had already decided to resign or leave the party were premature, but maintained that the situation within the party was not improving and that the day would come when he would have to separate from it.
“Are you resigning, leaving the party. Is there any such thing?
Ans (R): The day will come when I will have to separate from them. The day will come soon,” Ruhullah said, referring to his earlier remarks made during a social media interaction and an interview with Hindustan Times.
He said he needed some more time to pursue his agenda and strengthen the campaign before taking the final decision.
“I want to do a few more things regarding this. I want to bring this fight to a certain level. After that, I will resign,” he said.
Ruhullah said he had raised issues concerning Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional position in Parliament and had also worked towards generating wider political opinion on the issue.
“I did my best in Parliament. I had a key opinion generation. I spoke about 370,” he said, adding that he wanted to undertake some more initiatives before stepping down.
Ruhullah Offers ‘Way Out’ to Resolve Differences
Responding to remarks made by senior party leader and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, whom he said he deeply respects, Ruhullah said the issue was not about personal relations but about the larger interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the struggle should be viewed in the context of the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and not as a personal dispute between individuals.
Ruhullah said he was willing to reconsider his resignation if certain steps were taken by the party leadership.
He proposed that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah should resign as Chief Minister and contest a Lok Sabha election, allowing him to take the fight for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional guarantees to Parliament.
“CM Should Fight This Battle From Parliament”: Ruhullah
Ruhullah suggested that Omar Abdullah could be more effective in Parliament in pursuing the issues of restoration of constitutional protections, statehood and dignity of Jammu and Kashmir.
“I resign from the Member Parliament. The Chief Minister should come and resign. He should become the Member Parliament. He should go to the Parliament and fight the same battle that I am fighting,” he said.
He argued that if he had been able to raise the issue in Parliament, organise conferences and lobby with different political parties over Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional status, the Chief Minister could potentially have a much greater impact.
“If I am able to do this programme on 5th August … then he can do 10 times more than that,” Ruhullah said.
He said the Chief Minister should continue the fight for restoration of constitutional protection and guarantees, along with statehood and the dignity of Jammu and Kashmir.
Calls for Alternative Leadership in Government
Ruhullah further suggested that if Omar Abdullah were to enter Parliament, another MLA or minister could be appointed to head the UT government.
He said the party should simultaneously build a strong movement for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional position and assign him a role in organising such a campaign.
“The party should organize a movement … for the restoration of the constitution. The Chief Minister of today should not fight the battle alone; the party will support him in the fight,” he said.
Ruhullah maintained that the government should focus on governance while the political leadership could take up the larger constitutional and political issues.
He reiterated that his possible resignation was not an immediate decision but something he had already made up his mind about after completing certain political initiatives.
“I am not even talking about a year. I am talking about a few months. I have made up my mind,” he said. (JKNS)
