Srinagar, Nov 03 (KNO): Member of Parliament from Srinagar Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday resigned from the National Conference, citing differences with the party leadership over its approach towards the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's rights following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
Here's the full text of Aga Ruhullah's resignation letter to NC
I will begin my resignation letter with a note that meshes history with the present of the region that I belong to, Jammu and Kashmir. Our region and its people bear the burden of history. The weight of history hangs on our past, present and future like the Damocles Sword. This is all the more burdensome since the abrogation of Article 35 A and Article 370 in 2019. This shock to the people, our history, and our politics was a brazen assault on our rights. Rights, to make a philosophical point, make a people. Without these, there is just the erasure of a people.
But 2019 was also, paradoxically, an opportunity. It was an opportunity to reclaim politics, political space and our rights. But this called for a struggle, sacrifices and prices. Given our very existence, politics and rights were at stake, the struggle was essential. Prices had to be paid. My working assumption then was that the National Conference, the grand old party of Kashmir, was the natural candidate for the struggle that the situation demanded.
I approached you and you assured me of a struggle, the pain that the abrogation of the Articles had caused you. Based on this assurance, I aligned my politics more vigorously with the NC. The hope was this alignment would create and catalyze a movement for the restoration of our rights. But, alas, this was not to be. I vigorously and tirelessly campaigned in the electoral arena in 2024.
I will not claim credit for the vote share and the seat share of the NC. All I will say is I did my best. The people poured their anger and expectations on NC with a massive mandate. But the electoral arena had not yet cooled down, the NC did an about turn.
Personally, I saw this as a betrayal. But that is politics and part of politics. What hurt me most was that the expectations of people had been betrayed. This happened at a time when JK faces an existential threat. This was a time when able and determined leadership was needed to take the struggle for rights further. But the NC abdicated this space for mere governmentality and for a vain and vague promise of so-called restoration of statehood. When I approached you regarding this, the strains in our political relationship developed. Insult was added to injury when the party aligned itself to a stance of total and absolute abdication.
We, the people of Kashmir, are in the midst of many cross cutting transitions. The forces behind these are so powerful that we can't even be sure if Kashmir will remain Kashmir in the not so distant future. Depoliticization and abdication of politics, at this critical time, aids and abets this process of denudation of the people of J&K. I cannot and will not be party to this. My conscience and ethics determined politics will not allow this.
I thank you for the political journey we have had together till now. But this will not continue. I, hereby, tender my resignation from the party. I will, with Allah's help, find a niche and way to serve my people to the best of my ability and capacity. This is a pledge that I have made with my father's soul and above all with my creator. I will stick to principles and not expedience that my faith, values and ancestral guidance inspire. Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi—(KNO)