Srinagar: In a sign of unease in the National Conference after its MP Aga Ruhullah joined a protest against the reservation policy, NC legislator Salman Sagar on Tuesday said he has hurt the party’s interests by providing a platform to its “enemies”.
“What he (Aga Ruhullah) did was wrong. In my opinion, it should not have happened. He provided a platform to the enemies of the National Conference by these protests,” Sagar told reporters.
He was referring to Ruhullah taking part in student protests against the existing reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday outside the residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. PDP leaders Waheed Para and Iltija Mufti were among scores of people from political parties who joined the protesters to show their support.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is under house-arrest, also voiced his support for the demand for “rationalisation” of quota for reserved categories.
After meeting the protesting students, Chief Minister Abdullah had said on X that the channel of communication will remain open “without any intermediaries or hangers-on”.
Sagar said Ruhullah’s presence at the protests has done “more harm than benefit” to the cause of the open merit students.
“This is not democracy. Every party has discipline, he (Ruhullah) should have raised his concerns internally. You cannot disrespect the chief minister and your party through such theatrics,” the MLA from Hazratbal said.
Sagar, however, said he was supportive of the cause of the general category students demanding rationalisation of quotas.
The NC leader dismissed suggestions that Monday’s protests were an intra-party confrontation.
“Did you see any other NC leaders there? He (Ruhullah) was there in his capacity as an MP. You would not find any born-NC leader in such gatherings,” he said.
After meeting Abdullah on Monday, student leaders said that he had assured them that the cabinet sub-committee formed to review the reservation policy will submit its report within six months
The students are protesting against the reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir implemented after the abrogation of Article 370.
