Minister Itoo, Ruhullah Clash Over Highway Crisis

Srinagar- National Conference (NC) leaders, including Minister Sakina Itoo and Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, engaged in a heated verbal exchange on Thursday, with both criticizing each other over their respective roles and responsibilities.

Minister Itoo took a jab at MP Ruhullah for questioning the government over the prolonged closure of the Srinagar–Jammu National Highway, saying he should focus on raising core issues of Jammu and Kashmir in Parliament instead of criticizing the NC-led administration.

Speaking to reporters, Itoo said,“Aga Ruhullah contested on an NC ticket and was elected to speak for the people in Parliament. Now he is pointing fingers at us. He should raise the issues he considers crucial and ensure they receive attention at the national level.”

The NC patron, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, had earlier defended the government, stating that the challenges faced by fruit growers due to repeated highway closures were caused by natural calamities, not administrative lapses.

In response, MP Ruhullah highlighted his work in Parliament through a post on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing the issues he has raised publicly. He listed interventions related to Kashmir's apple and horticulture sector, illegal detentions, encroachments on Waqf properties, road, railway, and health infrastructure concerns.

Ruhullah also cited achievements such as securing CT scan facilities for district hospitals, disbursing over five crore rupees under the MPLADS fund, advocating for the release of detainees with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and pushing for highway and Expressway development with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. He further mentioned facilitating hundreds of patients in accessing relief under the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

MENAFN18092025000215011059ID1110081903