SRINAGAR: Srinagar MP and senior National Conference leader Syed Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Thursday said that any movement seeking the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and constitutional guarantees must be rooted in “consistency and credibility” rather than “theatrics or optics”.
He said the credibility of political leadership was being questioned by the public.
“The condition is that there should be sustainability and consistency. If there is no consistency, then there will be theatrics,” the MP said.
Ruhullah, who claimed he was not invited to a party meeting held on Wednesday, said a meaningful political struggle required a clear roadmap and wider outreach across Kashmir and Delhi.
“Do not try to fool people by sitting somewhere for a day. Make a roadmap. Reach out to the whole of Kashmir. Create a movement,” he said.
He further called for building pressure on the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and generating momentum both inside and outside Parliament.
Referring to Ladakh, he said Kashmir’s political leadership should learn from united efforts for rights-based demands.
“If everyone is sincere, all political parties should suspend their political identities and come together on a single platform. We should build a democratic and peaceful movement until the rights taken away in 2019 are restored,” he said.
He added that he would be willing to take the first step by resigning from Parliament if a unified movement were formed.
“I will be the first one to resign from Parliament. Let representatives be chosen from a common movement platform rather than party platforms until our constitutional rights are restored,” he said.
Ruhullah also said that political parties often unite briefly before returning to electoral competition, which weakens collective efforts.
“If parties are serious, they should keep electoral politics aside and focus entirely on the movement. People will only trust such efforts if they see sincerity and consistency,” he said.
Notably, the National Conference on Wednesday announced a protest in New Delhi on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and constitutional guarantees. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at Dachigam National Park. (KNS)
