Quota row: Mehdi questions Omar, party colleagues; Farooq lashes out

Srinagar Member of Parliament Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Sunday sought to know from the elected National Conference government led by chief minister Omar Abdullah that on whose directions were the students and leaders detained to stop the protest over reservation.

Srinagar Member of Parliament Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Sunday sought to know from the elected National Conference government led by chief minister Omar Abdullah that on whose directions were the students and leaders detained to stop the protest over reservation.

NC president Farooq Abdullah, however, lashed out at Mehdi without naming him. “Please ask the leaders what they want. We are doing whatever we can. I think they don’t want the progress, which the state is going through. Perhaps, they want disruption, which we won’t allow,” Farooq said. (PTI File)

The senior NC leader Mehdi, who was to lead a student protest outside CM’s residence against the advice of his party colleagues, said that he was put under house arrest while many students were detained to foil the Sunday’s protest demanding rationalisation of reservation policy.

Ruhullah questioned that on whose directions, the detentions happened- at the behest of Omar Abdullah government’s or LG Manoj Sinha’s administration?

The administration or police is yet to issue any statement over the developments.

NC spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq denied any role of elected government.

“Let’s be clear: we did not stop students from exercising their legitimate democratic right to protest when the anger was directed towards the elected government. And we will not abandon them now simply because their peaceful protest is directed at Lok Bhavan,” he said.

NC president Farooq Abdullah, however, lashed out at Mehdi without naming him. “Please ask the leaders what they want. We are doing whatever we can. I think they don’t want the progress, which the state is going through. Perhaps, they want disruption, which we won’t allow,” Farooq said.