States » NorthPosted at: Nov 3 2026 10:54PM


NC hits back at Ruhullah, questions his record on special status, reservation

Srinagar, Oct 3 (UNI) Hours after Srinagar Member of Parliament Aga Ruhullah Mehdi announced his decision to sever ties with the National Conference (NC) and resign from his Lok Sabha membership, the party on Tuesday launched a scathing counterattack, questioning his contribution to the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special status and accusing him of selectively raising political issues.
In a strongly worded statement, the NC questioned why Ruhullah, who had mobilised signatures of over 100 MPs from different political parties for an impeachment motion against Allahabad High Court judge Shekhar Kumar Yadav, had not made a similar effort to garner parliamentary support for the restoration of J&K's special status.
"Can he tell us if he ever made such an effort to gather signatures of MPs for the restoration of special status or statehood?" the party asked, adding that he had also failed to move any resolution or bill in Parliament on the issue.
The party said Ruhullah had been elected to Parliament to represent the sentiments of the people of J&K and mobilise support among secular parties and MPs, but questioned what concrete steps he had taken towards that objective.
The NC also challenged Ruhullah's position on the special status resolution passed by the J&K Legislative Assembly on November 6, recalling that he had welcomed it at the time and described it as a promise delivered.
Questioning his political consistency, the party referred to his tenure as a minister in the Omar Abdullah-led government in 2010, saying he continued in office until he was removed during a general reshuffle. It also pointed out that he contested the 2014 Assembly elections on an NC ticket, accusing him of invoking the events of 2010 only years later when it suited him politically.
On the reservation issue, which had emerged as a major point of confrontation between Ruhullah and the NC government, the party said the alleged injustice against the open merit category had taken place during the Lieutenant Governor's administration.
It said the NC had made changes to the reservation policy an important part of its election manifesto and subsequently constituted a Cabinet sub-committee to examine the issue. The party claimed that the file containing the proposed changes had been stalled by the authorities.
The NC questioned whether Ruhullah had raised the matter in Parliament or sought an explanation from the Centre over the delay in implementing the Cabinet's decision. It also asked whether he had organised any protest against the LG administration or raised concerns over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations and the exclusion of job aspirants from certain regions.
Reiterating its position on the restoration of J&K's constitutional status, the party said its demand for statehood would not come at the expense of special status, asserting that the protection of the region's identity and constitutional rights remained central to its political ideology.
"Reclaiming and repossessing what was taken away from us needs a deft politics, not theatrics. Theatrics will not take us anywhere. It may temporarily grab some attention and social media likes, but in the long run it will not achieve anything for people,” NC said.
The party also accused Ruhullah of working against its interests while remaining an NC member, alleging that he had contributed to the party's defeat in the Budgam Assembly by-election.
Ruhullah, who had been associated with the NC for nearly 24 years, announced his decision to part ways with the party and resign as MP on Tuesday, launching a sharp attack on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and NC president Farooq Abdullah.
UNI MJR CDS
Tags: #NC hits back at Ruhullah# questions his record on special status# reservation
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