Srinagar, Nov 8: Former Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah has defended his decision to quit the National Conference (NC), saying he resigned after the party leadership refused to act on its promises and instead sought his resignation when he demanded accountability.
Responding to questions about the NC’s allegations against him following his resignation, Ruhullah said he had no intention of engaging in a war of words with the party.
“I have no reaction. People will respond to them, and time will respond to them,” he said.
Asked why he had not resigned earlier, particularly when the party had been in power for two years, Ruhullah said he had taken the decision at the appropriate time.
“I took the right decision at the right time, Alhamdulillah. When was I supposed to resign?” he said.
Referring to the events of 2010 and the killing of protesters, Ruhullah said he had already explained his position in detail in his resignation speech.
He said the political circumstances following 2019 had created an expectation that the National Conference would fight for people’s rights and fulfil the commitments it had made to them.
“After 2019, we had nothing left. We needed to fight, and we needed to fulfil the promises we had made to the people. Those promises were not being fulfilled. I asked the organisation why they were not being implemented. In response, I was told to resign,” he said.
Ruhullah said the party leadership had made its position clear when it chose to seek his resignation instead of addressing the issues he had raised.
“It is a simple matter. They did not want to walk that path. When they announced that they did not want to follow that path and did not want to fulfil the promises, that was the right time to resign,” he said.
“When they were asked to implement their promises, they did not do so. Instead, they asked for my resignation. That was their declaration that they did not want reforms; they wanted to continue the same politics of deception,” he added.
Ruhullah also dismissed speculation that he could join hands with former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Engineer Rashid to form a new political party.
“Ask those who are making these claims. I have not taken any such decision,” he said.
Without disclosing details of his future political plans, Ruhullah indicated that he was exploring possibilities and holding discussions with people.
“Let us move beyond all these things. I do not want to respond to the National Conference’s statements. The people will respond to them, and time will give its verdict. The National Conference was given a responsibility by the people, but it failed to fulfil it. We will have to take responsibility ourselves and find a way forward,” he said.
“Gradually, you will come to know. We are working towards finding a way forward and are talking to the right people,” he added.
Ruhullah said his departure from the National Conference would not mean abandoning the political struggle for the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“We will fight our legitimate battle, the battle for our rights. The organisation that was given an opportunity betrayed the people once again. But that does not mean the people will give up this struggle. We will continue to fight for our rights, InshaAllah,” he said.
On the ongoing war in the Middle East and its economic consequences, Ruhullah said the conflict was affecting not just the region but the entire world, including India.
“The impact of this war is not limited to that region. It is being felt across the world. It is affecting this country as well. It has an impact on prices and trade, and its consequences are visible in every sphere,” he said.
Referring to the political response in the United States, Ruhullah said American voters had delivered a verdict against the political leadership responsible for the war.
“The people of America have taken a decision on this issue. They have punished this regime, which started this war at Israel’s behest,” he said.
He also referred to the response within Israel, saying the leadership had faced rejection from sections of its own population.
Ruhullah expressed hope that people would similarly defeat what he described as arrogant centres of power, whether in Kashmir, India or at the international level.
“I hope people will defeat these arrogant forces everywhere — in Kashmir, in our country and at the international level. I hope people will reject them in the same way. That process has begun there in the West as well,” he said.