J&K Congress Leader Critiques NC MP Ruhullah's Protest as a 'Publicity Stunt'
Click to start listening
Srinagar, Dec 25 (NationPress) Prominent Jammu and Kashmir Congress leader and MLA, G. A. Mir expressed on Tuesday that Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, a member of the National Conference (NC), could have demonstrated a more serious approach rather than opting for what Mir termed a 'publicity stunt'.
During a press briefing at the party's headquarters, Mir commented on the NC Lok Sabha member's recent anti-reservation protest that took place outside the residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday, suggesting that his actions lacked gravity.
“He could have approached the Chief Minister, who was only a five-minute walk away. It has become a trend among politicians to engage in 'publicity stunts' rather than adopting a more serious demeanor. Instead, he could have directly conveyed his demands to the Chief Minister,” the Congress leader remarked in response to inquiries regarding Mehdi's protest outside the Gupkar Road residence of Omar Abdullah.
Syed Ruhullah Mehdi stirred controversy within the ruling National Conference by spearheading a protest sit-in against the reservation policy of Jammu and Kashmir, which allocates only 40 percent of job vacancies for open merit candidates.
The protest also saw participation from opposition leaders of the PDP, including Waheed Para and Iltija Mufti, the daughter of PDP President Mehbooba Mufti.
The Chief spokesperson for the Engineer Rashid-led Awami Ittihad Party (AIP) also took part in Monday's protest alongside the NC MP.
Senior socio-religious separatist figure, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, expressed his support for the protest, indicating he would have joined had the authorities permitted it.
In a related matter, NC MLA Salman Sagar criticized Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday for staging a protest outside his own party leader and Chief Minister.
Salman mentioned that only protests that receive approval from Farooq Abdullah, the NC President, or Omar Abdullah, the party’s Vice-President, are sanctioned for party leaders.
He expressed disappointment over Mehdi's actions, stating they provided an opportunity for the NC's political adversaries to generate unfavorable news about the Omar Abdullah-led NC government.
