Fayaz Bukhari
National Conference (NC) candidate for Srinagar Parliamentary constituency, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, today said that the ongoing election has provided an opportunity to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to vent their anger by casting vote against the 2019 decision of the Government of India on J&K.
Click here to watch video
In an exclusive interview to the Excelsior, Mehdi said that the ongoing election is the first political space for expression since 2019 for the people of J&K.
“This is an opportunity for people to send a message that they are not satisfied with the decisions made for them, and that they did not agree to the degradation of the State and the snatching away of the status that J&K enjoyed,” he said.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Mehdi said that the election ensures people’s voices are heard as a form of dissent. “We were not given the chance to express our dissent through protest; people were suppressed, journalists were silenced, and many were arrested, including political activists. There was no political space for expression,” he said.
The NC candidate said that 2019 decisions on J&K were “unconstitutional and undemocratic”. “Without consulting the people of J&K, institutions like the Assembly, the status of J&K was snatched away, including the guarantees and rights. Apart from stripping J&K of its semi-autonomous status, it was also downgraded to a Union Territory, which is not permissible under the constitution of India,” he said.
The NC leader said that people want to vent their anger through voting and believed that there will be good voter turnout.
“I feel there’s an atmosphere where people want to vent their anger through their right to vote. People believe this election will provide them with a political space they’ve been deprived of. I believe there will be an increase in voter turnout. This is a chance to send a message to the people of this country through Parliament that J&K has acceded to India for a functional democracy. I urge people to start the struggle with their votes. This election will pave the way for our struggle, and it needs to be ensured through voting,” he added.
Mehdi said that this election is not for basic amenities but for the rights that were snatched away from people.
“There were certain bases and principles for the accession, and those are our rights. If this country is running on principles, then sooner or later, those bases, rights, and conditions under which we acceded need to be restored. This election is not just about basic amenities; people want to talk about their status,” he said.
On toning down his hardline stand on scrapping of Article 370 and downgrading erstwhile State of J&K, the NC leader said that society was not ready for mobilisation at that time.
“Initially, I thought I was speaking within a confined media space, giving interviews. But there was no mobilization. At one point, I thought the society was so gripped by fear that it wasn’t ready for mobilization. I spoke for a reason; I wanted whatever I said to take shape and start a movement. I’ve referred to instances of farmer protests, CAA protests, and North East protests; they mobilized their opinions, but I haven’t seen that happening here, and I was disappointed to see the society was gripped by fear to the extent that consistency waned,” he said.
Mehdi said that the ongoing election provided him with an opportunity for mobilization that was not possible otherwise. “Perhaps this election will kickstart people’s mobilization, and they’ll start talking. I’ll be able to come out and discuss the issues I’ve been addressing. Increased interaction will enable me to reach more places with my message,” he added.
“We’ve been relegated to second-class citizens. Those who you are referring to, want us to accept this and believe in development and progress. They try to sell us these dreams and want us to accept the status quo. But a proud nation always fights for its dignity,” he added.
On delimitation, the NC leader said that they were not consulted and it created anger and confusion both among people and the political parties.
“These decisions were made against our will; we were not consulted. It all came from the RSS headquarters through the BJP, and the Govt of India imposed these decisions on us. To secure one Jammu seat for a specific reason, they made changes in the constituencies, shifting everything around from Jammu to North Kashmir. They aimed to use a specific religious community as their base and secure the Jammu constituency for themselves,” he added.
Mehdi said that the BJP is fighting elections in Kashmir through its proxies. “Amit Shah has said that Kashmir will not accept the BJP. They understand they will face defeat in Kashmir. He also mentioned that if BJP does not contest elections in Kashmir directly, they will ensure the same outcome through proxies,” he added.
The NC leader said that he will not only raise his voice in Parliament but will work with like-minded parties who believe in federal India.
“… my aim is to find friends and parties in the country that share our ideology. There are parties in South India that advocate for a strengthened federal system in the country, as well as similar voices in Bengal,” he added.
Mehdi said that there is need for unity among various parties to fight against the scrapping of Article 370 and degradation of the state.
“It pains me to see the constituents of PAGD contesting elections against each other. Under these circumstances, I don’t believe it’s the right thing to do. I wanted this struggle to continue under the banner of PAGD, and if there had been an understanding for the elections, that should have been done as well. But things are not in my control; I’ve done what I could. Even when this electoral competition is over, I want to aim for the goal we set under a united front, whether it’s PAGD or any other alliance. There’s a need for unification for the greater cause,” he added.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
