Srinagar: In an act of protest, National Conference (NC) leader Tariq Wani on Monday resigned from the party, expressing strong displeasure over the Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Chaudhary’s remarks apparently directed at Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi.
Announcing his decision on social media, Wani posted on X (formerly Twitter), “I hereby tender my resignation from the Jammu Kashmir National Conference. If the party cannot uphold respect for the very leader whose integrity and vision helped it regain the trust of the people, then there is little meaning left for workers like us.”
He accused the Deputy Chief Minister of displaying “intoxication of power,” saying the leader seemed to have forgotten “the stature of the person he chose to speak against.”
“Let us not forget it is the National Conference that gave him this platform, without it, even social media spaces would have remained out of reach,” Wani wrote, adding that while he holds respect for everyone, he cannot compromise on the dignity of Aga Ruhullah, whom he described as “a true people’s leader.”
Wani also demanded a public apology from the Deputy Chief Minister, stating, “Any attempt to belittle him is an insult to the sentiments of the people of Kashmir.”
The controversy erupted after the Deputy Chief Minister, while responding to a reporter’s query about Ruhullah Mehdi during a media interaction, remarked, “Who Aga? I don’t know any Aga other than Agha Mehmood Sahab, who is contesting the polls, and standing with the party.” The comment quickly drew criticism from National Conference supporters, many of whom viewed it as disrespectful to a senior party leader known for his outspoken and principled politics.
