Srinagar, Dec 24 (Representative) National Conference (NC) leader and MLA Salman Sagar on Tuesday criticised the protest over reservation issue, led by party’s Member of Parliament Ruhullah Mehdi, calling it a misstep that played into the hands of the party’s adversaries. On Monday, several political leaders led by Mehdi and a large number of students staged a peaceful protest outside the residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah against the reservation policy, which was introduced earlier this year by the Lieutenant Governor- administration. Later a group of protesting students met Omar Abdullah who gave them a number of assurances.The protest over reservation issues brought political adversaries together. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Waheed Parra and Iltija Mufti and Awami Ittehad Party leader Sheikh Khursheed- brother of MP Engineer Rashid also joined the protest.Speaking to the media, NC leader Sagar expressed disapproval of the protest, stating it was neither sanctioned by the party leadership nor aligned with the NC’s principles.
“This was not a protest of the National Conference. It was a protest of the enemies of the National Conference,” Sagar said, pointing fingers at rival parties like the People Democratic Party for exploiting the situation. He clarified that protests of this nature should only proceed after directives from top NC leadership, including party president Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah.Sagar further criticized Ruhullah’s involvement, calling the protest a “drama” and said that no one benefited from it. “Unfortunately, our MP was also there. This gave our adversaries an opportunity to organize such gatherings and secure political points,” he said.Highlighting the importance of internal dialogue, Sagar emphasized that democracy within the NC ensures grievances are addressed systematically. “If there are issues, they should be resolved within the party structure. Such actions outside the system are not democratic,” he added. While expressing solidarity with students protesting against alleged injustices in reservation policies, Sagar denounced attempts by political opponents to manipulate the situation for their gain. He reaffirmed the NC’s commitment to protecting the aspirations of the open merit category under Omar Abdullah’s leadership.