INDIA bloc must take up Muslim issues, says NC’s Ruhullah Mehdi

Our Correspondent

Srinagar, June 29

Claiming that the Muslim community had voted in a large number for the INDIA bloc in the recent General Election, National Conference MP Ruhullah Mehdi urged the Opposition alliance to address issues concerning Muslims.

“The INDIA bloc partners speak freely about other minorities, but remain silent on Muslim issues. This needs to change. In the General Election, Muslims voted substantially for this alliance,” Mehdi said.

“Despite receiving support from the Muslim community, they don’t speak for them. If the INDIA bloc doesn’t speak for them, what is left for the Muslims? What institution and what hope is left for them to turn to?” he asked.

In the recent Lok Sabha election, Mehdi had defeated Peoples’ Democratic Party leader Waheed Ur Rehman Para by a margin of 1,88,416 votes.

On June 26, during his inaugural address in the Lok Sabha following Om Birla’s re-election as Speaker, Mehdi stressed the need to address issues concerning Muslims and the swift passage of bill that led to the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, in the Parliament.

He expressed hope that the Speaker would uphold the Constitution and lead the House democratically. Mehdi also spoke about a past incident where a Muslim MP was called a “terrorist”.

Mehdi said, “You will be remembered for how you handled voices in the House that called an elected Muslim MP a terrorist, or if you allowed those voices to persist. If an elected MP is called a terrorist in this House, I wonder what is happening to other Muslims in the streets.”

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