Srinagar, Dec 24: National Conference Member of Parliament (MP), Agha Ruhullah Mehdi’s protest against the reservation policy turned into a spectacle of internal dissent, with the party’s Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Salman Sagar dismissing it as “drama”. Sagar also accused Mehdi of undermining party unity.
Aga Ruhullah on Monday led the protest held near the Chief Minister’s official residence which was centred around students’ grievances regarding the revised reservation policy.
Salman Sagar, MLA Hazratbal criticised Ruhullah’s move and called it unauthorised and damage to party unity. “The National Conference organises protests only under directives from senior leaders like Dr Farooq Abdullah or Omar Abdullah. What happened yesterday was an individual act, not a party initiative,” Sagar said while speaking at NC headquarters in Srinagar.
He accused Mehdi of providing a platform for adversaries. “The protest became a stage for our enemies. Unfortunately, the presence of our MP gave them an opportunity to exploit the situation, strengthening the position of rival parties like the PDP,” he said.
The MLA Hazratbal questioned the intent and impact of the protest. “If grievances needed redressal, there were better ways to address them. What happened yesterday was pure drama. It didn’t benefit anyone,” he said, adding that such actions undermine the credibility of genuine efforts.
“Individuals with no mandate, who barely secured a few hundred votes, were speaking on behalf of millions,” he added.
In response, Agha Ruhullah posted a Malcolm X quote on “X” (formerly Twitter) likening himself to the “field Negro”, a symbol of rebellion and resistance against authority.
“Today, you still have house Negroes and field Negroes. I’m a field Negro,” Ruhullah posted on “X”, drawing a sharp contrast between those loyal to authority and those fighting for justice. The tweet, viewed as a direct rebuttal to Sagar’s criticism, portrayed Ruhullah as someone unafraid to challenge both internal and external power structures for the sake of principles.
The public spat has exposed fault lines within the National Conference, raising concerns about internal discord. While Sagar acknowledged the legitimacy of student grievances, he said that addressing them must align with party norms.
“Under Omar Abdullah’s leadership, we will ensure the aspirations of the open merit category are addressed appropriately. However, actions like these create unnecessary strife,” Sagar added.
Congress leader terms Ruhullah’s protest as ‘camera show’
Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Dooru and senior Congress leader, Ghulam Ahmad Mir on Tuesday said the Member of Parliament (MP) from Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi could have met the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah directly instead of resorting to “camera show”.
Addressing a press conference at party headquarters here, Mir said Ruhullah was “just five minutes away” from Omar Abdullah and instead of opting for a “camera show”, the demands could have been raised with the Chief Minister directly.
“It has become a fashion now to get the camera attraction, otherwise the responsible MP from NC, could have behaved seriously,” the Congress leader said. (KNO)
Nobody knows who’s on whose side in Kashmir: Lone
Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference (JKPC) president Sajad Lone’s statement on Tuesday ignited widespread debate about regional politics.
Referring to the complexities of understanding political alignments, Lone wrote on social media site ‘X’” “Adam Grant has dedicated an entire book to ‘The Art of Knowing What You Don’t Know.’ What we don’t know is a million times more than what we know. And trust me on this. And you are welcome to troll. In Kashmir, nobody will ever know who was on whose side.”
The cryptic remark has been interpreted by many as a satirical response to recent political developments. Notably, it comes shortly after National Conference (NC) leader Ruhullah Mehdi’s protest was labelled a “drama” by critics, prompting speculation that Lone’s comments were a veiled dig at the ongoing political theatre.
