<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“NC Must Stick to its Ideological Commitments or Be seen as Betraying People; Standing Alone on Article 370 Issue Doesn\u2019t Matter, Truth is What Counts; Kashmiris Have Long Political Memory Won\u2019t Forget Unkept Promises; I Will Always Oppose Systems that Suppress People\u2019s Rights”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Srinagar, Feb 18: Reacting to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah\u2019s remarks during Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u2019s visit to Sonmarg, National Conference MP Agha Ruhullah Mehdi dismissed the praise, calling it unnatural and a sign of divine wrath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ruhullah made these remarks in an exclusive conversation with Kashmir News Service (KNS) in New Delhi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During PM Modi\u2019s visit to Sonmarg in January, Omar praised the Prime Minister, saying that the weather supported his presence with clear skies and warmth in their hearts. The comment sparked backlash, with many drawing parallels to former CM Mehbooba Mufti\u2019s infamous “toffee and milk” remark, which has haunted her politically for years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When asked whether Omar\u2019s praise could, like Mufti\u2019s statement, remain a political tag for years to come, Ruhullah said that sunshine during Chilai Kalan was not something to celebrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said that Kashmir\u2019s winters are meant for snow, and an absence of it is unnatural and ominous. “If, during Chilai Kalan, we see the sun instead of snow, it is not a blessing\u2014it is God’s wrath.” Ruhullah refused to justify Omar\u2019s remarks and added, “Only he can explain why he said that.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf we do not fulfill our promises, we will be held accountable. Just like Mehbooba\u2019s words are remembered today, we will also be questioned in the future.\u201d Ruhullah said in response to a question whether their past statements will haunt them in future. He was quick to add that the government has only been in power for two months, and there is still time to stay on the promised path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Discussing the National Conference\u2019s core promises, Ruhullah said the fight for Jammu and Kashmir\u2019s identity was not just a slogan. He said that the abrogation of Article 370 was not merely a political move but a direct assault on Kashmir\u2019s constitutional rights. “NC must stick to its ideological commitments throughout its five-year term, or else people will see it as a betrayal,” he warned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked whether he felt isolated within his party for continuing to raise the issue of Article 370 while others focused on statehood, Ruhullah said that it did not matter whether he stood alone. “Two months is too early to say NC has changed course, but I will continue to remind my party of our responsibility. If we abandon our objectives, we will lose people\u2019s trust,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking on whether the current government was living up to public expectations, Ruhullah said that the voters in Jammu and Kashmir are politically aware and would hold leaders accountable. “The people of J&K are not just passive observers. They know what they were promised and what they expect in return. If the government does not meet their expectations, the same public that elects leaders also has the power to remove them,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He further said that Kashmiris have a long political memory. They do not forget when leaders make promises and then fail to deliver. Leaders must not take this mandate for granted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regarding past criticism from within the NC for his activism and engagement with youth protests, Ruhullah said that he would oppose any system that suppressed the rights of the people. “No system is more important than the dignity of the people. If students protest for their rights, their concerns must be addressed.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also said that the National Conference must continue to uphold the values of internal democracy. “I hope the party will continue to support these principles. I will not allow the real issue\u2014students\u2019 rights\u2014to be overshadowed by internal politics,” he added.(KNS) <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
“NC Must Stick to its Ideological Commitments or Be seen as Betraying People; Standing Alone on Article 370 Issue Doesn\u2019t Matter, Truth is What Counts; Kashmiris Have Long Political Memory Won\u2019t Forget Unkept Promises; I Will Always Oppose Systems that Suppress People\u2019s Rights” Srinagar, Feb 18: Reacting to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah\u2019s remarks during Prime […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2748,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2749"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2749\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2750,"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2749\/revisions\/2750"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2748"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/noukeqalamnews.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}