SRINAGAR — Lok Sabha MP Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday said that democracy and the country’s institutions have “become weak” and that there is a need to reclaim them to make them stronger.
“Parliament has become weak, the nation has become weak, democracy has become weak and institutions have become weak because the Constitution has been rendered very weak,” Mehdi told reporters in Kulgam district.
The estranged National Conference (NC) MP from Srinagar said the political parties in the country must fight to reclaim these institutions constitutionally and democratically.
“We cannot see these institutions getting destroyed like this… Whether there is degradation or dilution, we will have to reclaim the Parliament in the spirit of the Constitution. That fight has to be fought there only (in the Parliament) and there is no other place,” he said.
Mehdi said the institutions must be made stronger with a rule of law and a Constitution that ensures equality, freedom, and protection for diversity, culture, and for each religion.
“For that, we have to restore the Constitution, the spirit of Parliament, the spirit of assemblies, and the spirit of the judiciary,” he said.
Reacting to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath warning against reading namaz on streets, Mehdi said that while Islam does not allow blocking roads, some people like the UP chief minister were playing politics in the name of religion.
“Some of the things are genuine in this. The Shariat does not permit blocking roads to offer prayers. But that is a different matter. That is a matter of our internal reform. Muslims need internal reform on some issues, we need to talk about some things. But they indulge in politics in the name of religion,” he said.
The Srinagar MP said there were many such occasions when Hindu festivals led to road closures.
“They come out on the roads, drawing swords in the name of religion; people of other religions, Muslims, are intimidated. There is stone pelting on mosques, songs are played on loudspeakers outside mosques, and swords are drawn. Where does Yogi’s sense of law go that time that roads should not be closed?” he said.
Mehdi said he would not defend the closure of roads for namaz, but sought a response from Adityanath on some people of “his religion” using their festivals to “spread extremism and block roads.”
“When mosques are attacked, minarets are attacked, roads are closed and music is played on loudspeakers, then where does the sense of law go? So, they should talk about Hindutva, they should not talk about law. That does not suit them,” he added.
Mehdi also alleged “extrajudicial killings and extrajudicial bulldozing of houses” taking place every day in UP.
“So, there is no law and order there. The law that should rule India through the Constitution is not there. Their own will prevails, that of Hindutva, of Yogi, and anti-Muslim extrajudicial decisions prevail there,” he said.
Mehdi alleged that there is a bias towards a particular religion in the institutions, police and the executive.
“So, they should not talk about law, they should talk about religion, about alienating in the name of religion. That suits them,” the lawmaker said. — (PTI)