Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi accuses BJP of creating 'anti-Muslim' theatre: 'Kashmir its biggest scene

Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi accuses BJP of creating 'anti-Muslim' theatre: 'Kashmir its biggest scene

New Delhi,Feb 18:Srinagar MP and former Jammu and Kashmir cabinet minister Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi last week accused the BJP of constructing an 'anti-Muslim theatre' with Kashmir cast in a central role.

Mehdi was speaking at a discussion at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi.

"BJP has created a theatre, they show this theatre to people who give them applause, and in return, the BJP gets votes. That audience is hardcore Hindutva and the theatre that has been made for them is the condition of the Muslims…," Mehdi said at a talk on 'Political Representation and Citizenship in Post-370 Jammu and Kashmir', organised by National Students' Union of India-JNU.

"…the biggest scene in this theatre is Kashmir because Kashmir has a Muslim population …because these Muslims have power in their hands, they should be snatched off this power and brought to their knees. What more can be a bigger theatre than this?" Mehdi added.

The remarks referred to the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status in August 2019.

Asked about the National Conference's role in mobilising the masses post-2019, Mehdi said political leaders and elected representatives must now take on the mantle of "people's resistance". "The MLAs have to embody people's resistance and unite for an organised movement but are currently failing to do so," he added.

About the political implications of the abrogation of Article 370, he said, "What are the implications of removing Article 370 (on someone in UP)? Still, somewhere in UP, a BJP candidate, for sure, will bring up (Article) 370 in his speech enthusiastically. Someone who doesn't even have food in their house to eat will be clapping at this speech."

"For someone who doesn't know anything about the status of his employment, no idea about inflation…even if there wouldn't be a land underneath his feet, he will definitely clap when he hears about (Article) 370," he added.

The discussion took place at 5 pm at the TEFLAS Union Office Ground on February 14.–(The Indian Express)