Anantnag, Jul 15: Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Wednesday said he has consistently raised the demand for restoration of constitutional safeguards and protection of the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir “from Parliament to the streets”.
Addressing reporters in Anantnag, Ruhullah said his stand on the issue has remained unchanged since the Assembly and Lok Sabha election campaigns.
“From Parliament to the ground, from Kashmir to Delhi, I have consistently raised the same demand. I have said the same thing before the government in Delhi and before the people in Kashmir,” he said.
The National Conference leader drew a distinction between the demand for restoration of statehood and the restoration of constitutional protections that existed under Article 370.
“Statehood is the BJP’s agenda. The constitutional guarantees and protections that were available under Article 370 are the agenda of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. That is the mandate we received from the people,” he said.
Ruhullah also said individuals from different walks of life should speak up for the rights of the people rather than for “power or any political party”.
“If people have the courage to raise their voice for the rights of the people, they can contribute significantly to society,” he said.(KNS).
