Hyderabad: National Conference (NC) MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday (November 03) announced his decision to quit the party and resign as Srinagar MP, accusing Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of betraying the people of the Union Territory. He made the announcement while addressing a public gathering at Behisht-e-Zehra Park in Budgam on the 26th death anniversary of his father, Aga Syed Mehdi.
Declaring his departure from the party, Ruhullah said he was breaking away from the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) with immediate effect.
"I represent the legacy of a martyr and a halal bloodline. I am signing the document of my freedom. From 2:40 pm today (Tuesday), I am no longer part of the JKNC," he said.
Ruhullah, a vocal critic of Hindutva politics and the Narendra Modi government, accused Omar Abdullah of failing to respond to the concerns of daily wagers, students and young people lodged in jails, despite repeated appeals for his intervention.
He recalled how daily wagers and students had approached the Chief Minister with their demands, alleging that Omar Abdullah had dismissed their concerns.
"Daily wagers told you to speak to us, but you said, 'I am not afraid of anybody'. Students approached you to resolve the reservation issue, but your response was, 'Don't threaten me. I am not afraid'," he said.
He further accused the Chief Minister of failing to take up the cases of jailed youth with the Union government, claiming that Omar Abdullah had instead pursued a personal matter during a meeting with the Union Home Minister.
Ruhullah also accused Omar Abdullah of going back on electoral promises, including the assurance of providing 200 units of electricity, and questioned his priorities.
"You have forgotten the cap you placed before the people to seek votes. You have forgotten the promise of 200 units of electricity. Your focus is now on getting vehicles," he said.
Taking a swipe at the Chief Minister, he told his father, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah: "Dr Farooq Abdullah, your son is 'beqaarat' (unworthy), not the Kashmiri qaum."
Ruhullah alleged that Omar Abdullah had betrayed not only the people but also those who had supported him politically.
"You betrayed the people, you betrayed me, you betrayed everybody. You used me," he said.
Recalling his involvement in the Assembly election campaign, Ruhullah said he had repeatedly asked NC legislators to recognise the support he received from young people in their constituencies.
"I used to tell every MLA during the election campaign that if the youth in your constituency respects me, why should they not respect you?" he said.
He alleged that young people were now demanding accountability but the government was unwilling to give them a platform to voice their concerns.
Explaining his decision to leave the party, Ruhullah said his differences with the NC leadership stemmed from political principles and unfulfilled commitments. These included the restoration of Article 370, protection of constitutional rights, addressing the reservation issue and releasing prisoners.
He said that his decision was not motivated by personal grievances or disappointment over being denied a position.
Ruhullah said he was not looking to leave the NC merely to join another political party. Instead, he wanted to bring together honest and committed young people from Jammu and Kashmir who understood the concerns of their homeland and communities.
He appealed to parents to encourage their children to come forward and work towards social change. He said he wanted to build a platform of dedicated young people committed to public welfare and the betterment of Jammu and Kashmir.
Ruhullah also warned that the public would eventually hold Omar Abdullah accountable for his actions.
"This qaum will throw him out in such a way that he will never return as Chief Minister," he said.
Ruhullah, 48, is a Shia cleric and politician from Budgam in Jammu and Kashmir. He is the son of late Aga Syed Mehdi Mustafa, a prominent Shia religious and political leader who was assassinated in a militant attack in November 2000.
He became a prominent voice within the NC on issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir's special status after the Union government's 2019 decision to revoke Article 370. However, he had increasingly differed with the party leadership over its approach to key political and public concerns.