Agha Syed Ruhullah Mehdi’s decision to leave Parliament and the basic membership of the National Conference has turned an internal ideological confrontation into a larger question for Kashmir: can a new political culture emerge from the ruins of an old one?

Whether Ruhullah eventually launches a political movement is almost secondary. The real test lies in what type of politics he builds around it. 

Kashmir has seen parties change names, flags and alliances while the deeper habits of political life remain largely intact. A new organisation can easily become another container for an old idea.

That is precisely what this moment should avoid.

A persistent distance has grown between Kashmiris and those elected to speak for them. Discussions in homes, universities and marketplaces often hold a sharper language of justice, esteem and aspiration than the language heard inside legislatures. 

Politicians frequently speak in the vocabulary of expediency, while citizens speak about what they believe should have a place in public life.

Representative democracy weakens when that distance becomes routine. 

An elected representative occupies more than a constitutional seat. The office holds the responsibility of giving public voice to concerns that voters themselves may struggle to articulate from the floor of a House.

Ruhullah has acquired credibility partly because he has been willing to remain close to his stated convictions even when those convictions have created political isolation. 

Agreement with his positions is a separate question. Consistency in public life has become unusual enough to command attention.

That credibility also creates a higher obligation.

A new party built around Ruhullah........

© Kashmir Observer