No bigger political catastrophe than elected govt deceiving its people: NC’s Ruhullah Mehdi

Srinagar, Mar 15 (PTI) National Conference Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi Saturday said there cannot be a bigger political catastrophe than an elected government deceiving its people.

Mehdi’s remarks came after the government said the cabinet sub committee, constituted to examine the issue of reservation, didn’t have a specific timeline fixed for submitting its report.

The government’s response came to a question by People’s Conference president and MLA Handwara Sajad Lone in the assembly.

Earlier, the chief minister had said the committee would submit its report in six months.

“I hope this line saying “no specific timeline has been been fixed for submitting the report” in the reply is some clerical error or some miscommunication between the department and the Chief Minister’s office. @CM_JnK should clarify this,” Mehdi said in a post on X.

The Srinagar Lok Sabha MP said if it was not a clerical error, “it then is a blatant lie and betrayal with the students who raised the issue with their elected government and showed faith and trust in the word and response given to them”.

“There can’t be a political catastrophe bigger than this when an elected government deceives its people,” he said.

Referring to a protest organised by students outside Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s residence in December, which he also joined, Mehdi said he didn’t speak on the matter after the students got the assurance from the CM last time “because I was expecting the government to do its job in the given time as they had assured”.

“But this response has shocked me. I will not sit quiet on this. I will pick the matter from where I left it after the assurance given to the students,” he added.

The influential Shia leader expressed hope the government would give some clarity on the matter and “assures us that this reply is a result of some mistake not a deliberate blatant lie”.

However, later on Saturday evening, CM Abdullah issued a clarification, saying the committee will submit its report in six months.

“The Cabinet sub-committee constituted to examine the complicated issue of reservations in recruitment has been given a 6 month timeline to complete their report,” the CM said on his official handle on X.

Abdullah said this timeline was set by him after he met with a concerned group of job aspirants.

“This timeline, however, was not in the initial order setting up the sub-committee. That oversight will be corrected but rest-assured the committee is working to complete its task in the set timeframe,” he added.

Following the assurances of the Chief Minister, Mehdi expressed hope that the commitments made to students would be met.

“I appreciate the clarification. This is something that people look for in their elected representatives. Accountability and transparency is something which our people deserve in these challenging times.

“I will take this response as an assurance for the students that the commitments made to them in that meeting to resolve this genuine issue will be met and the Cabinet Sub-committee will do its job within the given timeframe,” the MP said.