Mubarak Gul’s Supporters Protest in Srinagar, Demand Cabinet Berth or Resignation

By : Alia Kashmiri

Supporters of National Conference (NC) leader Mubarak Gul staged a protest at Press Colony in Srinagar on Wednesday, demanding a cabinet berth for the Eidgah MLA after he was left out of the government.

The protesters, wearing white shrouds and holding placards, demanded that Gul be made a cabinet minister or resign from the party.

“Do justice to Eidgah, make Mubarak Gul a cabinet minister,” the protesters chanted, expressing anger over the party’s decision, according to the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO).

Some protesters also raised slogans asking Gul to resign from the National Conference.

One of the protesters said Gul had contested seven elections and won each time, alleging that the party had failed to fulfil its promise to him.

“Farooq Sahab had promised us. His name was on the list until yesterday, but he was not given a ministerial berth,” the protester said.

Mubarak Gul, a six-time MLA from Eidgah, was left out of the Cabinet during Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s Cabinet expansion on Tuesday.

He was later appointed general secretary of the National Conference. However, the appointment did not immediately satisfy all his supporters, who continued to demand a cabinet position for the senior party leader.