Agencies | Anantnag:
National Conference Member of Parliament Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Wednesday asserted that the restoration of the constitutional safeguards enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir prior to the abrogation of Article 370 remains the foremost aspiration of the people, maintaining that the demand extends beyond the restoration of statehood.
Addressing a gathering in Bijbehara, the Srinagar Lok Sabha member said his stand on the issue has remained consistent since the Assembly and Parliamentary election campaigns. He said he has repeatedly raised the matter at every available forum, including Parliament and public meetings across Jammu and Kashmir.
“I have conveyed the same message everywhere—from Parliament to the people of Kashmir and before the government in Delhi. My stand has remained consistent,” Ruhullah said.
Drawing a distinction between the Centre’s commitment to restore statehood and the aspirations of the people, the MP said the two issues should not be conflated.
“Statehood is the BJP’s agenda. The restoration of constitutional guarantees and protections available under Article 370 is the agenda of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. That is the mandate on which we sought votes and were elected,” he said.
Ruhullah argued that the electoral mandate received by the National Conference was based on its commitment to safeguard the political and constitutional rights of the people, rather than solely on the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s administrative status.
He also appealed to civil society, intellectuals and citizens to raise their voices on issues affecting public rights instead of aligning themselves with political power or partisan interests.
“Those who speak for the rights of the people, rather than for power or political parties, make the greatest contribution to society,” he said.
The remarks come amid continuing political debate over Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional future. While the Centre has repeatedly maintained that statehood will be restored at an appropriate time, regional political parties, including the National Conference, have continued to advocate for the restoration of the constitutional safeguards that existed before the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of the erstwhile state on August 5, 2019.
