Ruhullah Slams Kashmir Mainstream Politics, Says BJP Rally Exposes ‘Complete Surrender’
National Conference MP Syed Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Jammu and Kashmir’s mainstream political leadership, saying Wednesday’s rival street demonstrations in Srinagar had exposed what he termed the “complete surrender” of the region’s political space and the growing disconnect between political parties and the people.
Reacting to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rally at Ghanta Ghar in Srinagar, Ruhullah, as reported by KNS, said the BJP’s ability to hold a major political demonstration in the city reflected a significant change in Kashmir’s political landscape.
“The BJP, a non-entity in Kashmir’s politics, can dare to walk to Ghanta Ghar and hold our streets. That is how complete the surrender of this state has been. It should shame every party that calls itself mainstream,” the Srinagar MP said in a post on X.
Ruhullah also appeared to criticise his own party’s protest demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, saying the demonstration failed to attract significant participation from the general public beyond party workers.
“A people’s protest draws people beyond your own rank and file. This one did not. It’s clear what Delhi saw recently with protests, Kashmir did not today. People do not identify with these leaders. They do not trust them. Their politics has shrunk to producing loud media bytes,” he said.
The NC leader further argued that the region’s political stagnation could not be resolved merely by changing or reshuffling existing political faces.
“That can’t be fixed by rearranging the same faces. It is fixed by replacing this politics. That is the work ahead,” Ruhullah said.
The remarks came a day after the National Conference and BJP took their political confrontation to the streets of Srinagar.
While the ruling National Conference held a demonstration seeking the restoration of statehood and constitutional guarantees for Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP staged a counter-protest targeting the Omar Abdullah-led administration over issues including unemployment, electricity tariffs, development and alleged governance failures.
The competing demonstrations highlighted the widening political contest in Jammu and Kashmir, with both parties seeking to project themselves as the stronger voice on issues affecting the region’s people.
