Srinagar- Srinagar Member of Parliament and senior JKNC leader, Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, in an online debate, confronted inquiries from PDP leader Waheed Parra regarding his parliamentary conduct on restoration of Article 370, the liquor bill, and actions against laws such as the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
Waheed Parra raised several points on X, questioning Aga Ruhullah Mehdi’s actions since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.
He asked why Ruhullah did not propose a resolution in Parliament to condemn the abrogation, stating that such a move would have been a significant gesture in response to the change in Jammu and Kashmir’s political status. Parra also inquired why Aga Ruhullah introduced a bill to restrict liquor sales in Jammu and Kashmir instead of a bill focused on restoring Article 370.
He suggested that proposing a restoration bill could have opened a dialogue on a critical issue affecting the region.
Parra further criticized the NC leader for not pushing for legislation aimed at curbing the misuse of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). He pointed out that UAPA has faced criticism for its role in prolonged detentions without trial. He noted that with support from the INDIA alliance, there could be an opportunity to provide relief to those affected in Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, Parra questioned why there was no formal protest or legislative action taken against the reservation policies that impact Jammu and Kashmir, suggesting this could have been a platform to voice concerns about these policies.
In response, Ruhullah argued that prematurely forcing a resolution or bill on Article 370 in a BJP-majority Parliament could result in the risk of formal parliamentary rejection, further complicating the quest for autonomy.
Ruhullah explained that his struggle for the return of rights, including Article 370, is guided by his beliefs. He stated that proposing a resolution in Parliament could lead to its rejection, especially given the BJP majority, and he did not want to risk a negative outcome that would undermine the cause. He said that he introduced the liquor bill to stimulate debate, as the BJP had declared Gujarat a dry state, indicating a potential opening for discussion in Jammu and Kashmir.
Ruhullah mentioned that he submitted a question in Parliament regarding the revocation of both UAPA and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), and noted that it was not listed in the parliamentary business. He expressed that it is premature to expect immediate results after only one session in Parliament. He pointed out that addressing issues of reservation policies should occur within the parliamentary framework rather than through protests outside.
“I have only had one working session of Parliament till now. There is a lot to come,” he affirmed.
“I did not protest outside the parliament, in fact talked about it inside the parliament where it matters the most. I took them on inside the parliament. Now, since my party has formed the govt in J&K, I expect a collective and result oriented effort on this with all my colleagues. I understood the matter before my election, committed myself to it during the election and stood by my commitment after being elected to the Parliament. Also when assembly elections were announced, I took this matter to my party and it gracefully agreed to it and made it part of the manifesto. Now, after being elected to the assembly, I am sure my party is as committed to it as it was before. I have no confusion about it. I have never tweeted (X) and then deleted my statement about it. By the way, I missed your opinion about the reservation during the elections. What was it during the elections?,” Ruhullah said.
“P.S: I like being put under regular scrutiny for the cause of 370. That’s what I wanted from the day one. We all start talking about it and asking for the return of it. When I tweeted about it from inside the house arrest when 2G was restored, I was alone. Today I am happy that I am being scrutinised by a large number of people whether I am still committed to the cause or not,” he added..
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