The National Conference (NC) appears to be navigating internal differences once again, as MLA Hazratbal, Salman Ali Sagar, strongly criticized a protest led by the party’s Srinagar MP, Aga Ruhullah, over the reservation policy, Kashmir News Observer reported.
The demonstration, which took place near the chief minister’s official residence in Gupkar, also involved opposition leaders and legislators, sparking questions about unity within the party.
Salman Sagar labeled the protest as a personal initiative rather than a party-backed event. “If the MP believes he can do it, that’s his individual prerogative.
However, this was not a National Conference initiative,” Sagar said.
He emphasized that NC protests are only organized under directives from senior leaders like Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, or the general secretary’s office.
“Such protests are not organised independently by individuals. They must be authorised by the party leadership. What happened yesterday was entirely an individual action and not a National Conference event,” Sagar remarked.
The criticism of Aga Ruhullah comes against the backdrop of earlier tensions within the party. Post the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, Ruhullah had publicly accused the NC leadership of not taking a brave stance against the decision.
Similarly, discord surfaced recently on the issue of land acquisition by the government for developmental projects.
While Ruhullah and senior leader Bashir Ahmed Veeri condemned the land takeover as “dispossession,” Nasir Aslam Wani, political advisor to Omar Abdullah, maintained that the acquisitions were for the benefit of the general public.
Despite these episodes, party insiders downplayed any significant rift. “The National Conference is the only party that respects differences in opinion. We do not have any sort of disrespect for anyone’s views. This is in our history, unlike most parties in Kashmir and across the subcontinent’s political landscape,” a senior NC leader told The Kashmiriyat.
Returning to the current protest controversy, Salman Sagar accused Ruhullah’s actions of inadvertently aiding political rivals like the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“It was a gathering of our adversaries, of our enemies. Unfortunately, one of our MPs was present there, giving them an opportunity to exploit the situation,” he said.
Sagar further criticized the protest as ineffective and theatrical. “If grievances truly needed redressal, there were better ways to address them. What happened yesterday, in my personal opinion, was pure drama. It didn’t benefit anyone,” he stated.
Reiterating the party’s commitment to the concerns of students from the open merit category, Sagar said, “I openly declare in front of you that I stand with the students of the open merit category. Their grievances must be addressed based on their population percentage. However, we will not allow politics to be played on this issue.”
He also took a dig at what he termed political opportunism. “People with no mandate, those who have been rejected by the public with barely 200 votes, were speaking on behalf of thousands or even millions. This kind of behavior undermines genuine efforts,” Sagar said.
The MLA expressed confidence in Omar Abdullah’s leadership to address all pressing issues, including the reservation policy, while cautioning against internal strife. “The National Conference is a very large party, and small incidents or dirty politics won’t affect us. But actions like these create unnecessary internal strife,” he concluded.
Observers see the protest led by Ruhullah as a potential indication of growing discord, though party insiders continue to deny any serious divisions within the NC.