Says hiding their identity amounts to betrayal
Srinagar: Member Parliament from Srinagar and senior National Conference leader Aga Ruhullah Mehdi said on Saturday that he will not campaign for his party in the upcoming Budgam by-polls, accusing the NC of failing both politically and administratively in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking to reporters, Mehdi said that the recent controversy over alleged cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections has raised serious questions about transparency. He urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to reveal the names of those involved.
“I have absolutely no knowledge of who voted for whom or who engaged in cross-voting,” Mehdi said. “From the Chief Minister’s statement, it became clear that he seems to know who did the cross-voting but does not want to reveal the names. This proves that he knows it happened. This is not a zaati dukaan (private shop) where names can be hidden. This is public property. Credibility is built on people’s trust and their votes.”
He added that if someone knows about cross-voting and chooses not to disclose it, it is “unacceptable.” “If there has been wrongdoing with people’s trust, it must be revealed so that citizens know who is innocent and who betrayed them. This is public information and people have the right to know,” he said.
Mehdi questioned when political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir would take what he called the “struggle for survival” seriously. “Fighting at the party level is fine, but for our collective survival, all like-minded people must come together,” he said.
He argued that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had given a “strong and clear mandate” to the National Conference in hopes that the party would represent them independently and end confusion and division. “Unfortunately, it has been a year since that mandate was given, and the party has failed to act according to that sentiment,” he said.
“If the party was not ready to fight this existential battle, then why did it make promises during the election campaign?” Mehdi asked. “Even with such a strong mandate, the party appears weak. The people of Jammu and Kashmir did not make you dependent on others. After the Assembly elections, there was no need to form new alliances. Yet, the same mistakes made before the elections are being repeated.”
He warned that people would start looking for alternatives. “This qaum is not dependent on the National Conference, Congress, or BJP. For their wujood ki ladai (fight for existence), they will always find new options,” he said.
Mehdi added that if the National Conference had respected the people’s mandate, no one would be asking why it was seeking support from others. “People trusted them, but that trust has not been honored,” he said. “No real fight has started.”
Asked about internal decisions attributed to him on social media, Mehdi said he often hears about decisions supposedly made in his name that he never took. “Sometimes I feel there must be another Ruhullah out there making decisions for me,” he said. “I have neither made such statements nor taken such decisions. My position remains what it was before the elections.”
He said he had asked his party for clarity on what message to take to voters. “Tell me what we have achieved politically in the past year based on the promises we made,” he said. “The party has no clear answer.”
Mehdi said he had earlier asked the party to resolve the reservation issue before filing nominations. “This issue affects our children and their future,” he said. “We should not be fighting our own children, the same children whose parents voted for us in difficult times.”
He criticized the government for threatening students who raised their voices. “We say we will not bow to pressure, but we were elected precisely to be under people’s pressure, to listen to them,” he said. “In a democracy, a leader who listens to people’s pressure grows stronger, while the one who shows arrogance perishes. That is dictatorship.”
“If a ruler refuses to come under public pressure, then what is the difference between him and an LG? A true democratic leader is one who listens to people’s genuine demands,” he said.
Mehdi said he had urged the government to show at least one “confidence-building measure,” such as resolving the reservation issue within three days, before the by-polls. “But that did not happen,” he said. “Instead, students received threats. If this is the response, what message should I take to the people?”
He also referred to the government’s changing stance on electricity meters. “A year ago, we said meters were zulm (oppression). Now, after becoming Chief Minister, we are telling people to use them,” he said. “There is no consistency in politics or governance. How can I go before the people and justify this?”
He said he would therefore stay away from the Budgam by-polls. “People are the real judges of their votes,” he added.
When asked whether he planned to float his own party amid widening differences with the National Conference, Mehdi dismissed speculation. “Recently, I posted a simple tweet asking who in your community inspires you, gives you confidence, and motivates you,” he said. “I hope the people of Jammu and Kashmir will recognize and celebrate such honest and sincere individuals who still hold the public’s trust.”
“We must bring these forgotten but trustworthy people into public view,” he said. “We must celebrate those who are imaan-daar, Khuda-dost, and have integrity. That is the least we can do.”—(KNO)
