NC’s Mehdi, Hurriyat chief discuss J&K situation, release of political prisoners

National Conference (NC) MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Wednesday met separatist leader and head of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in Delhi.

Mehdi met the Mirwaiz and discussed issues related to Jammu and Kashmir and the Muslim community in the country, sources close to the two leaders said.

Mirwaiz is in Delhi since he met the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Wakf Bill on January 24.

The sources said the two political leaders, belonging to opposite shades of the political spectrum, had more than an hour long interaction over a wide range of issues including the situation in Jammu and Kashmir post abrogation of Article 370, restoration of statehood and release of political prisoners.

“The two leaders also talked about the Wakf amendment bill, the situation in Kashmir post August 5, 2019, and range of other issues,” the sources added.

Mirwaiz admitted that the NC leader had met him in the former’s capacity of being the chief preacher. “Yes, he (Mehdi) came to visit me. He is in Delhi for the parliament session and it was a courtesy call to me as Mirwaiz,” the religious leader said.

Mehdi and the Mirwaiz also talked about the issues of youth of J&K as well as the row over reservation policy.

While Mehdi participated in the protest against the existing reservation policy outside the residence or Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Mirwaiz had announced his support for the protest.

The MP’s move had drawn sharp reactions from his own party, with some of his colleagues saying the prominent Shia leader was indulging in pure theatrics and that he had given space to the party’s enemies.

Abdullah in an interaction with mediapersons earlier this month had said while Mehdi’s participation in the protest reflected the intra-party democracy, he expected the Lok Sabha member to organise a similar protest for restoration of statehood in Delhi.

Recently, Deputy CM Surinder Kumar Chaudhary and advisor to chief minister Nasir Aslam Wani met Mehdi at the latter’s residence in Budgam. The move was widely perceived as an attempt to placate the estranged leader.