- Vows to Fight Modi’s ‘Naya Kashmir’ Narrative
- Says His Election To Parliament ‘Referendum’ Against August 5 Decision
Srinagar- Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) supremo and member parliament Engineer Rashid walked out of Tihar Jail on Wednesday on interim bail till October 2 for campaigning in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections.
The parliamentarian immediately resumed his characteristic blunt and fiery rhetoric, and vowed to fight Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Naya Kashmir” narrative.
Wearing a black band on his left arm to register his protest against abrogation of Article 370, Rashid claimed that his election to Lok-Sabha was a ‘referendum’ against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to strip J&K of its special constitutional position on August 5, 2019.
Calling himself a victim of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Rashid dispelled ‘rumors’ about his party supporting the saffron party in any way, either directly or indirectly, in the next assembly elections in J&K.
“I pledge to oppose Modi Ji’s narrative of Naya Kashmir, which has failed miserably in Jammu and Kashmir. His narrative and his decision to strip J&K’s of its special status under Articles 370 and 35A, have been categorically rejected by the people,” the AIP chief said.
Affirming his commitment to work for the welfare of the people and the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue, the AIP leader asked the Prime Minister not to be afraid and not to scare him either.
Talking to reporters outside the jail, he also attacked National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti for “destroying” Kashmir and said he would continue to fight for the people of the region.
Targeting Omar Abdullah, whom Rashid defeated in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Baramulla MP said, “My fight is much bigger than Omar Abdullah. I was literally dying in Tihar for five-and-a-half years while the NC leader was hiding in London.”
Rashid said he has nothing to do with the opposition INDIA bloc or the ruling NDA. “I am fighting alone,” he said.
Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti are fighting for the chair, and my struggle is for the people of J&K, Rashid said in response to a question about the claims made by the duo that his release was ‘planned’ and that he was actually a BJP proxy.
“He used to run away like a cat, yet he speaks ill about me. All I can tell is that it’s the court that granted me bail,” Rashid added.
Rashid said that people of north Kashmir responded to him during Lok Sabha elections when he lost by more than 20 lakh votes.
As Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, stepped out of the prison, he was welcomed by his sons and supporters. “He was released from jail at 4.15 pm,” a senior prison official said.
He has been in jail since 2019 following his arrest by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the 2017 terror funding case.
Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party is contesting the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections to be held in three phases — September 18, September 25 and October 1. The results will be declared on October 8.
“I feel stronger coming out of jail after five-and-a-half years. I am proud of my people. I pledge that I will not let down my people… I am committed to fighting for them. I will unite the people and not divide them,” he told reporters outside Tihar Jail.
Rashid said he wants to bring everlasting peace to Kashmir and prove that Kashmiris are not stone pelters. But they will not compromise with their political rights, he said.
“I do not require their accreditation to demonstrate whether I am good or bad, having served a taxing five and a half years in prison. When I last saw Altaf Fantosh, one of my jail mates, I saw his lifeless body. I cannot forget dozens of Kashmiris who need immediate medical attention in Tihar jail,” Rashid said, adding, since my fight is for the people of J&K, I don’t want to minimize my stature or my sacrifices.
The huge turnout of voters during Lok Sabha elections in J&K, Rashid claimed, was a display of resentment with Narendra Modi and his policies.
“It was for what Kashmiris genuinely wanted, not out of love for Modi. Let them talk to the people across the border and see what they genuinely want. They talk about Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, we talk about the Kashmir issue and if saying so is a crime I would love to commit this crime again and again and again,” he said.
“I am not coming to split my people apart; rather, I am coming to bring them together. It is my responsibility to represent their wishes and aspirations, and for that, I am willing to spend the rest of my life in Tihar Jail. Kashmir belongs to us, and we are willing to sacrifice our lives for it. I will not exploit my people, and I advise the youth to concentrate on their education and careers and leave politics to us,” he added.
On Tuesday, after a court here granted interim bail to Rashid, NC leader Omar Abdullah said the Baramulla has been given bail to fetch votes from the people of Kashmir and not to serve them.
Rashid also attacked PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, saying, “The damage caused by madam and her father to Kashmir… I would like to say that the biggest traitors of Kashmir are Farooq Abdulah and Omar Abdullah… and Mehbooba Mufti is carrying forward their legacy. They have destroyed Kashmir.”
On Wednesday, Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh ordered Rashid’s release on interim bail on a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh and a surety of the like amount. He also imposed certain conditions on him, including that he would not speak to the media about the case.
‘INDIA Bloc Stabs In The Back’
Engineer Rashid on Wednesday slammed the BJP and INDIA bloc, alleging that the ruling party at the Centre hits upfront while the opposition grouping stabs in the back.
Baramulla MP also made it clear that his party will contest 35 to 40 seats in Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections and that there will be no coalition with any political party but only with his “inner self”.
Rashid was addressing a press conference after walking out of Tihar Jail on interim bail till October 2 for campaigning in the J&K polls.
“When I went in on August 2, I had a state, Article 370 and Article 35A. Now when I came out there is neither a state, nor Article 370 or 35A, only a charge sheet,” he said about his black band protest.
He said the issue of Article 370 has nothing to do with militancy.
On the accusations from the PDP that he was a proxy for the BJP, Rashid said, “We were in prison for five and half years while they were enjoying themselves. We are dying. They should be ashamed for asking such questions. I came out of death bed but I was not presented as a victim. I remained silent.”
He said the PDP entertained the BJP and formed a government with it. “They become ministers, they form governments, form coalitions. Who the hell are they? People know everything. They have given the verdict. The reason why I was put in jail, that cause is much bigger than the allegations of Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah.”
Making clear that he is a proud Islamist and not radical, the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) chief, who is facing charges of terror funding and was arrested by the National Investigation Agency on August 9, 2019, said, “No Islamist can be radical…I love people of India and believe in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family).”
“Just like Modi’s call for nationalism is fake, so is their (INDIA bloc) call for secularism. Both nationalism and secularism are dirty things used by them to bring bad name to real nationalism and secularism,” Rashid said.
“The BJP says that they will restore statehood at right time, our fight is not for statehood. When will that right time come, we have been waiting since 1947,” he said.
Rashid said he has a message to the BJP that “we do not have any fight with you but do not sacrifice Kashmiris for your political agenda”.
“I also have a question for the INDIA bloc. They are not clear on their stance. Modi ji hits from the front while INDIA hits from the back. They weakened Article 370, Modi buried its body,” he said.
He said the BJP government was labelling former chief minister Farooq Abdullah as an anti-national whose father Sheikh Abdullah gave Kashmir on a platter to India. “Sheikh Abdullah insulted Mohammed Ali Jinnah (founder of Pakistan) for India. Who can question Farooq Abdullah credentials who openly says Bharat Mata ki jai in Kashmir and has advocated bombing Pakistan”.
Challenging the Centre to allow him to speak in Parliament, Rashid said the claims of the BJP that the entire nation was with them on abrogation of Article 370 was destroyed in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
“They (BJP) went asking for at least 370 seats in just concluded parliamentary elections as they wanted the nation to acknowledge what they did in Jammu and Kashmir. The result is in front of your eyes,” he said.
He said five of our Kashmiri daughters including Asiya Andrabi are lodged in Tihar Jail. “They are our Sita. At least you can send them to Kashmir if you want to keep them in prison. If you want to bring hearts closer, is it the way that you can’t find space in Kashmir prisons for Kashmiri daughters? It is too much.”
He rejected the claims of the BJP that people were happy after the removal of special status and said “if people would have been happy after abrogation, government would not have to bury separatists like Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Ashraf Sehrai or Altaf Fantoosh in the dead of night and put thousands of people in jail”.
He said that his party AIP, which is yet to get recognition from the Election Commission of India, had been singled out and kept out of any deliberations that have taken place between government and political parties. “Even parties like AAP and Shiv Sena have been called for talks”.
Rashid went on to buttress his case of being singled out and said former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were released after sometime and the Public Safety Act was revoked against them. “Even bureaucrat like Shah Faisal’s PSA was revoked. But I was called over the phone and put in Tihar jail.”
He claimed that he was not allowed to speak to his family since January 18. However, the charge had been put before the special court that a secret report from Jammu and Kashmir as well as Home Ministry suggested misuse of telephone facility by the accused.
Later at request and an undertaking in the court, Rashid was allowed to make two calls in three weeks to his wife and children under certain conditions.
Rashid was granted an interim bail on Tuesday to allow him to campaign in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly election till October 2 after which he has to surrender.
After filing a supplementary charge sheet against the accused, the court had framed charges against Rashid various sections of IPC and UAPA which include waging war against the country, sedition and doing an act with intent to threaten or likely to threaten the unity, integrity, security of the country.
Rashid said he has become an MP with support of people. “Are they all separatists,” he said and warned that if such a narrative is allowed to be built, the nation is playing in the hands of the enemy.
On Kashmiri Pandit “brothers”, he said they are saying they want to come back for the last several years but are not able to do so.
“I feel their pain. Any innocent of any religion, caste or nationality being killed is wrong. You call it ethnic cleansing or want to condemn in any words but also remember that one lakh Kashmiri people have also died. It is not that our one lakh people have gone for a picnic and will come back. No one talks about us,” he said.
“If our Kashmiri Pandit brothers want to come back, they should state it openly,” he said.
“If they want to come back, I will raise volunteers who will guard their villages just like from 1989 to 2004 our 250-300 volunteers guarded army camps. We will do the same for our Pandit brothers. They have to decide. Kashmir belongs to them as much as it belongs to me. Along with them, around 30,000 people who were forced to cross the border because of shelling in 1989 should also be allowed to return,” he added.
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