New Delhi, July 23: Jammu and Kashmir Member of Parliament Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Wednesday said that the people of the region never chose to live voiceless or invisible and yet, decades after joining the Indian Union, they are being made to feel exactly that.
Speaking at the “Statehood Now” public meeting organised by the Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir at the Deputy Speaker’s Hall, Constitution Club of India, Mehdi said, “We didn’t sign up for immigration. We didn’t sign up for slavery or helplessness. We joined India on the promise of dignity, equality, and mutual respect not to watch our future decided by others while we are forced to the sidelines.”
According to KNS, he reflected on 1947 the moment when Jammu and Kashmir chose to stand with India, rejecting division and communal politics. That choice, he said, was built on trust and constitutional guarantees like Article 370. Today, he argued, that promise feels broken.
“Article 370 wasn’t just a clause it was a safeguard. A way to honour our diversity, protect our identity, and shape our own destiny within the larger Indian family.”
Two Youth Killed in Landslide in J&K’s Reasi
Drawing comparisons with federal systems around the world from the United States to Germany — Mehdi asked why decentralised governance is celebrated globally, but questioned when demanded by Kashmiris.
“When a Bengali defends their identity, it’s culture. When a Maratha does it, it’s pride. But when a Kashmiri speaks of the same, we’re labelled anti-national. Why?”
He warned that ignoring regional voices and imposing top-down decisions, such as the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, damages not just Kashmir but the spirit of India’s democracy itself.
“August 5 didn’t just remove autonomy it removed trust. It raised a question: who decides for us now? And what tools are left to defend our identity, our culture, our place in the Union?”
Urging the country to revisit the original spirit of unity, Mehdi said Article 370 should be seen not as a threat, but as a model for inclusive, respectful federalism a roadmap for strengthening India’s diverse democracy.(KNS)
