Facing dissent, Omar Abdullah raises Delhi’s pollution to taunt ‘silent’ NC MPs

SRINAGAR: CM Omar Abdullah urged NC’s newly elected Rajya Sabha members to speak up for J&K’s political rights, warning them not to “lose their voice in Delhi’s pollution” like some of their predecessors.

“Sometimes Delhi’s pollution seems to affect our colleagues.

We have sent many big names to Parliament in the past, but once they reached there, they appeared to lose their voice,” Omar said Thursday in Handwara.His pointed jab — mixing political frustration with a smog-laced metaphor — drew cheers from supporters in the border town, where he promised that this time, the voices sent to New Delhi “will not fall silent”.The CM’s remarks came amid growing dissent within NC, with two Lok Sabha MPs — Aga Ruhullah Mehdi and Mian Altaf Ahmad — accusing his govt of failing to deliver on political and governance promises.Omar said the three NC members elected to RS last Friday — Chaudhary Mohammad Ramzan, Sajad Ahmad Kichloo and Shammi Oberoi — would “truly represent the people” and press for restoration of statehood and constitutional rights in Parliament.

BJP also won one seat, with Sat Sharma clinching victory after a close contest.Recalling that his grandfather Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah had also sent J&K representatives to Parliament who “suffered the same fate”, Omar said this time he expected better. “I have faith the three members I am sending will become your voice in Parliament,” he said.Praising Ramzan as “the apt candidate”. Omar said despite “gerrymandering” in the Oct 2024 delimitation, Ramzan lost his assembly race by just 600 votes.

“We are sending a strong voice to Parliament who will fight for J&K’s rights,” Omar said. “They will remind the Centre of the promises made — on industries, roads, rail links, tunnels — and of the assembly’s resolution seeking restoration of special status.”The comments followed open criticism from within his party. On Sunday, Anantnag–Rajouri MP Mian Altaf Ahmad said NC-led govt had failed to fulfil its commitments and that governance in the Union territory “needs improvement”.Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi has repeatedly accused the NC brass of soft-pedalling on BJP and neglecting its 2024 pledges. “In one year, where has our political fight gone? Where are the 100,000 jobs that were promised?” Mehdi asked recently, alleging the party had drifted from its campaign agenda.