Srinagar, Aug 22: National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Saturday criticised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for meeting US Ambassador Sergio Gor, questioning the legitimacy of such engagement while the United States and its ally Israel continue military offensives in Palestine and Iran.
“If I were to receive legitimacy from the US ambassador, I would throw that legitimacy into the river. Now, when there is bloodshed in Palestine and Iran, the very perpetrator comes here to grant me legitimacy?” Mehdi told reporters here as per Kashmir Convener.
The Lok Sabha member from Srinagar was responding to Ambassador Gor’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir on August 19, during which the US envoy described the region as “an important part of India” — a statement that drew a sharp response from Pakistan.
MP Mehdi asserted that Washington has no right to interfere in the internal affairs of other nations. “First, let them answer whether the US administration itself is legitimate? What are they doing in the regions and affairs of other nations? Who is part of what and who isn’t, is our internal matter; the US has nothing to do with this,” he said.
MP Ruhullah questioned why Omar Abdullah did not raise the issue of violence in Palestine, Gaza, Iran, Yemen, and Lebanon during the meeting. “I want to ask our chief minister when the ambassador of that murderous regime came here, did you, on behalf of your people, ask him why they, and their ally Israel, are committing unjust killings in Palestine, and Iran? Even if you didn’t ask, did you at least lodge a note of protest?” the MP added.
In remarks that underscored the growing rift within the National Conference, MP Ruhullah accused the party leadership of “weakening and diluting the fight” for which it had sought votes from the people.
“Today, I am asking the party to fight that same battle, but, in response, I am told to resign. I want them to be in that fight and support it, the fight for which we took votes from the people. But they are missing there,” Mehdi said.
He alleged that the NC had “now come down to statehood and even business rules” instead of fighting for Article 370 and constitutional guarantees — a clear indication that the party’s core agenda had been scaled back since assuming power in the Union Territory.
Dismissing calls from some party leaders for his resignation, Mehdi dared the leadership to act against him. “If the party wants me to resign, it should send a show-cause notice to me. At least they should issue a show cause notice, ask me that you have violated the party at such and such places, you have violated the party’s ideology, you have violated the party’s stand. Then, I would be able to answer,” he said.
The MP also took aim at the party’s internal functioning, accusing NC leaders of “arrogance” that he said would prove detrimental. “It is this very arrogance that has brought them down and will continue to sink them. Until this arrogance is eradicated from the ranks of the party, they will neither be able to save themselves nor this nation,” Mehdi added.
The development comes at a time when the NC government has been navigating the tricky terrain of Centre-state relations while trying to balance its traditional political constituency with the realities of governance in the Union Territory.
Notably, earlier Srinagar Lok Sabha member Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi said he has “made up his mind” to resign from Parliament in the coming months, but indicated that an intervention by National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah could lead him to reconsider the decision if the party accepts a set of political proposals.
Ruhullah, however, made a distinction between his decision to resign and his willingness to reconsider it. He said the resignation itself was not conditional, but he would rethink the decision if Dr Farooq Abdullah wanted the issue resolved and the proposed steps were taken.
Referring to Dr Farooq, Ruhullah said his relationship with the NC president was not merely political and that he had always regarded him as a fatherly figure.
He said Dr Farooq had treated him with respect and that his remarks about Ruhullah being like a son were known to him personally.
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