JK, Aug 16: Senior Shia cleric and scholar Aga Syed Mohammad Hadi Kashmiri sharply criticized Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s door-to-door signature campaign for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, describing it as “superficial” and insufficient to address the people’s concerns.
Speaking at a large Arbaeen gathering in Bemina, Aga Syed Hadi said that such campaigns cannot replace meaningful political action. He reminded the audience that Abdullah was elected with the responsibility of safeguarding Article 370 and Article 35A and leading efforts for the restoration of statehood. “Nothing concrete was ever achieved,” he remarked.
The cleric accused the Chief Minister of failing to meet public expectations, alleging that compromises had weakened people’s rights. “Rather than asking for signatures, he should apologize to the people,” Aga Syed Hadi said, stressing that leadership should be judged by results, not symbolic gestures.
He further questioned Omar Abdullah’s moral authority to remain in office if he could not fulfill his commitments, adding that politics had been reduced to a pursuit of “salary, luxury, and power.”
Aga Syed Hadi’s remarks have drawn wide attention in political and social circles, with observers noting that the criticism comes at a time when statehood and political representation remain sensitive issues in Jammu and Kashmir’s public discourse.
— Mansoor Qadir, ITN
