SRINAGAR: After cricketer-turned-politician and MP Yusuf Pathan broke ranks with the Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee and joined the rebel group of 20 MPs led by Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, senior J&K National Conference leader and MP Aga Ruhullah has claimed that, during the last winter session of Parliament, a Muslim MP shouted at Pathan and asked him to withdraw from a protest against the SIR issue in the House. TMC MP Mahua Moitra later claimed the person was “Asaduddin Owaisi”.
“During the last winter session of Parliament, the entire Opposition was protesting against SIR and other issues in the House. As always, the @AITCofficial MPs were in the well of the House, taking the lead and protesting fearlessly,” Ruhullah posted on X.
“I was there and I heard a prominent Muslim MP (not from TMC) shouting at Yusuf Pathan and telling him to withdraw from the protest,” he said.
According to Ruhullah, Yusuf subsequently withdrew and returned to his seat. “I noticed a change in Yusuf’s expression; he was almost shivering.”
“After that MP left, I went to Yusuf and asked him what had happened and why he looked scared. Yusuf told me that the person had told him not to protest against the BJP, saying, ‘What is wrong with you? Why are you protesting against the BJP? Khud ko dushman kyon bana rahe ho? They will bulldoze your house in Gujarat,’” Ruhullah said.
He added, “In the meantime, TMC leader @MahuaMoitra came and asked me what had happened. I told her that Yusuf was frightened because that individual had warned him that the BJP would bulldoze his house in Gujarat. Mahua became furious and told Yusuf not to listen to that person, saying, ‘We are behind you, we are one, and no one will dare touch you or your family.’”
“One feels sorry for @MahuaMoitra and @AITCofficial. You had his back, but he and others like him stabbed you in the back,” Ruhullah added.
Ruhullah, however, is himself not believed to be on cordial terms with his party leadership and has reportedly been sidelined by the National Conference over his stand on Article 370. He is allegedly no longer being invited to party meetings.
Responding to Ruhullah’s revelation, TMC firebrand MP Mahua Moitra wrote on X: “Yes sir, it was @asadowaisi who was warning @iamyusufpathan, remember? What a pity I fought for a gaddar with no courage and no spine. He was better off doing commentary! What a scared phattu…”