Srinagar, Oct 20: Member of Parliament Syed Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday accused the BJP of creating a hostile environment for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that Kashmiris were facing harassment and suspicion both within the J&K and in other parts of the country.
Talking to reporters in Srinagar, Ruhullah said the situation had not normalised since 2019 and alleged that the relationship between J&K and the Union government had instead become hostile.
“Instead of normalising Kashmir, it has been polarised,” he said.
Ruhullah said that the BJP was responsible for the hostility faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said Kashmiris were being treated as suspects in their own homeland, citing the verification, restrictions on movement along highways and the continued detention of prisoners without trials.
Ruhullah expressed concern over incidents of alleged harassment of Kashmiris outside J&K.
Referring to a recent incident in Karnal, Haryana, he alleged that Kashmiris were increasingly being viewed with suspicion in other states as well.
On protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Ruhullah said the demonstrations were genuine and reflected an attempt by students, activists and concerned citizens to reclaim democratic space.
“Democracy has been suppressed over the past 10 to 12 years. But the public protests were the beginning to exercise the right to expression,” he said.
He however cautioned that it was too early to say it had been fully restored.
Drawing a comparison with Kashmir, Ruhullah referred to the shutdown in Delhi, the detention of activists and internet restrictions during the recent protests.
He said people in Kashmir have experienced similar measures on a much larger scale.
Srinagar MP also called for criminal proceedings against the Chief Election Commissioner if allegations of compromise were established, and demanded a review of elections conducted under his tenure .
“The protests represented an effort to challenge authoritarianism and seek accountability. Safeguarding the Constitution and democracy requires sustained public engagement,” Ruhullah said.
Reacting to National Conference President Farooq Abdullah’s remarks on abrogation of Article 370, he said the decision was wrong and doing commentary on it was not sufficient.
“The decision of August 5 is wrong. Everyone knows this. But to reverse it, to stand against it institutionally, democratically and peacefully, what is the government doing? What is the party doing?” Ruhullah said.
He criticised the performance of the J&K government, saying people were disappointed with both its political agenda and governance after two years in office.
He cited concerns relating to electricity, employment, reservation, students, interns, prisoners, and the protection of jobs, questioning what tangible achievements the government could point to in addressing public grievances.
Ruhullah said the people of J&K also seek clarity on constitutional guarantees and the restoration of statehood, adding that the government’s response to these issues only contributed to public disappointment.
