Srinagar: National Conference (NC) Lok Sabha MP Ruhullah Mehdi on Saturday criticised his party’s government in Jammu and Kashmir, saying it has failed to deliver on the political front.
Mehdi, who has been at odds with the party leadership for some time, made the remarks as the Omar Abdullah-led government is set to complete one year in office on October 16.
“The government is about to complete a year. Whatever was expected politically has not happened. There was a need to show intent, but I personally feel that has not been demonstrated so far,” Mehdi told reporters in Srinagar.
He said the government’s performance should be measured by public satisfaction. “If people are satisfied, I am satisfied. But if they have questions, those must be taken seriously. The government should introspect where the gaps lie,” he added.
On the demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, Mehdi said the BJP has no intention of returning the “rights snatched from the people.”
“They (BJP) want people to remain disempowered — in fact, even more disempowered,” he said, referring to the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
When asked about the upcoming Budgam bypolls, Mehdi, who has represented the constituency thrice in the former J&K Assembly, said he has conveyed to the party leadership the aspirations of the people there.
“I have spoken to the people and shared their sentiments with the party. I’ll speak in detail about it after a few days,” the Shia leader said.
Mehdi also urged the government and the Assembly Speaker to ensure the revocation of the Public Safety Act (PSA) against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Mehraj Malik, allowing him to attend the upcoming Assembly session.
“The government and the Speaker should make efforts to withdraw the PSA. If Malik has committed any mistake, there are other legal provisions to address that. He must be allowed to participate in the session,” Mehdi said.
Malik, who heads the AAP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit, was detained under the PSA on September 8 and jailed for allegedly disturbing public order in Doda district.
