Srinagar MP says heavy security deployment at Jantar Mantar reflects suppression of dissent, calls for restoration of democratic institutions

Aqzar Raheel 

Srinagar, Oct 11: Srinagar Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi criticised the heavy deployment of security personnel and restrictions on protesters near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, saying the situation reflected how dissent and constitutional rights had been suppressed in Kashmir.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Ruhullah said he tried several routes to reach Jantar Mantar but was unable to proceed due to barricades and the presence of police, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

“It gives a glimpse of how democracy and genuine dissent are crushed in this country under the BJP regime, and how people’s right to express their genuine concerns is dealt with through the use of force,” he said.

Drawing a parallel with Kashmir, Ruhullah said people in the region had experienced similar restrictions when they raised concerns about their constitutional rights.

“This is exactly how, and even worse than this, the people of Kashmir were dealt with when they spoke about their genuine constitutional rights,” he said, adding that the situation reflected what the BJP and the RSS had brought the country to.

Expressing concern over the state of democratic institutions, Ruhullah said the country needed to recover from the situation and restore the rule of law and constitutional values.

“We have sacrificed for this country. We hope we recover from this and make the necessary corrections. People like Gyanesh Kumar should no longer hold office, and institutions diluted by the RSS and BJP should be restored,” he said.

He emphasised that the country should be governed by institutions, the rule of law and the Constitution, while protecting the freedom of expression.

Ruhullah, however, described the determination of people to continue raising their voices as the only positive aspect of the situation.

“People are on the streets for this country. They are no longer willing to remain silent and blind. They want to challenge this and take the country back to democracy and its institutions,” he said.

He added that protesters were prepared to face detention and even risk their careers to defend democratic rights.

According to Ruhullah, protesters had also been warned that their passports could be cancelled if they attempted to approach Jantar Mantar.

Ruhullah said the heavy presence of security forces in the national capital should prompt people across the country to recognise the challenges faced by Kashmiris for years.

“Being from Kashmir, these things are not strange to me. We are used to them. But the entire country should realise now that this is what happens in Kashmir,” he said.

He added that Kashmiris did not want the situation to spread across the country but wanted people to collectively resist what he described as heavy-handedness in the interest of democracy and the Constitution.

“We do not want India to turn into this. We want to fight back against this heavy-handedness for the sake of the Constitution and democracy,” Ruhullah said, expressing hope that public resilience would bring the change the country needed.