National Conference (NC) Lok Sabha MP Aga Ruhullah stated on Saturday that the party’s primary objective is not the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), but rather the reinstatement of the constitutional guarantees that existed prior to the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
“My party can go to court, but I will only remind that our fight is not for statehood, our fight is for more than that. It is for those constitutional guarantees that were snatched from us in 2019,” Ruhullah told reporters.
He clarified his stance in response to NC chief Farooq Abdullah’s comments about potentially approaching the Supreme Court if statehood restoration is unduly delayed, emphasizing, “We should not forget our fight.” The Srinagar MP reiterated that the party’s ultimate aim is to reverse the decisions of August 5, 2019, when the Central government revoked Article 370 and reorganized the former state into two Union Territories: J&K and Ladakh.
Ruhullah further highlighted that while the BJP’s manifesto and parliamentary statements, along with its allies in J&K, have supported statehood restoration, the NC’s struggle transcends mere statehood.
When asked about rumors of a bill for J&K statehood being introduced in Parliament during the monsoon session, Ruhullah said he was unaware of such speculation but would comment if and when such a bill is presented.
