Srinagar, September 11, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Dissident National Conference (NC) leader and Lok Sabha member Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi has criticised his own party, accusing it of abandoning the fight against the amended Waqf law and failing to oppose the imposition of stanzas of the national song Vande Mataram.
In a post on X on Friday, Ruhullah said Jammu and Kashmir needed to show greater sensitivity towards the religious beliefs and concerns of minorities.
Ruhullah said he had opposed the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, but later found that the NC had allegedly “abandoned the fight” and could not muster the courage to bring a resolution against the legislation in the J&K Legislature.
He pointed out that Punjab and some southern states had taken steps to oppose the amended law.
The NC MP also criticised what he described as the imposition of stanzas of Vande Mataram, which he termed “unconstitutional”. He alleged that his party had instead “fallen in line with BJP & RSS in submission”.
“At a time when minorities are being pushed to the wall, let’s not normalise the communal onslaught of the RSS and BJP,” Ruhullah said, urging people to stand up for what he called the legitimate concerns of minorities across India.
He said Jammu and Kashmir, being the largest Muslim-majority region in the Union of India, had a historical opportunity to demonstrate sensitivity towards religious beliefs and minority concerns.
“Jammu & Kashmir has a historical opportunity to stand for what is right. Let’s not squander that chance,” he said, adding that the prevailing circumstances required “statesmanship, sensitivity and courage” rather than another compromise.
Ruhullah has been facing criticism from senior NC leaders, including party president Dr Farooq Abdullah, over his political differences with the party after being elected to the Lok Sabha as an NC candidate.
Dr Abdullah had challenged Ruhullah to resign from the Lok Sabha and seek re-election on his own political strength.
Ruhullah has announced that he will resign from both the NC and the Lok Sabha on November 3, the date on which his father was killed by terrorists in 2000.
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