Srinagar: Rebel NC leader Aga Ruhullah Mehdi lauded the PDP on Tuesday for staying away from the proceedings of the Jammu and Kashmir Delimitation Commission, saying “it is never too late to stand for your rights”.

In a letter to the commission, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said it will not be a part of an exercise, the outcome of which “is widely believed to be pre-planned”.

“It is never too late to stand for your rights. Unambiguity is the way forward. Hoping this letter reflects the in-house consensus. The message of the letter is appreciable,” Mehdi, who was once the chief spokesman of the National Conference (NC), said in a tweet.

The former minister and an influential Shia leader has fallen out with the NC leadership, including Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, on how they have gone about handling the post-August 2019 situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Soon after the mainstream political parties attended the all-party meet convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month, Mehdi went on an offensive against the decision of the Kashmiri leaders.

“Which nation or society satisfies itself with insignificant things when its rights and dignity have been snatched forcefully? I don’t know of a nation that accepts and satisfies itself with the new low that it has been pushed to against its will,” he tweeted.

The rebel NC leader summed up the all-party meet in one line: “A briefing session for participation in delimitation and elections. Period.”

The PDP has decided to stay away from the proceedings of the Delimitation Commission, claiming that the outcome of the exercise is “pre-planned”.

In a letter addressed to Justice (retd) Ranjana Prakash Desai, who heads the commission, PDP general secretary G N Lone Hanjura has said the party will not be a part of an exercise, the outcome of which “is widely believed to be pre-planned”.

“…our party has decided to stay away from this process and not be part of some exercise, the outcome of which is widely believed to be pre-planned and which may further hurt the interests of our people,” Hanjura has said in the letter.

However, the other parties have decided to meet with the visiting commission members and have nominated their representatives for the purpose.

The NC has nominated a five-member delegation to meet the commission and put forward its suggestions, a party leader said.

The members of the NC delegation are Abdul Rahim Rather, Nasir Aslam Wani, Mian Altaf, Sakina Itoo and Muhammad Shafi.

Press Trust of India