Srinagar- Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) Chairman and Member of Parliament from North Kashmir, Engineer Rashid has claimed that he will be the king and not kingmaker in the ongoing assembly elections in J&K.
Er Rashid, who has been in jail since 2019 for a terror funding case, was granted interim bail till October 2 to campaign for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.
Known for his fiery rhetoric, Rashid has since taken center stage in the political discourse, targeting traditional political heavyweights like the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party. Here are some selected excerpts from his interview to Kashmir Observer TV:
“The BJP does not exist in Kashmir. It is the PDP and the NC who are orchestrating propaganda against me to cover up their own failures. Does that mean I should stay at home and stop doing politics?” Rashid said in response to a question about being labeled a proxy for the BJP in Kashmir.
“I have exposed their politics. This is the first time that issue-based politics focused on Kashmir is being done. There is accountability, and the concerns of ordinary people are being brought to the forefront. I was in jail for over five years while they were enjoying themselves,” he adeed.
Er Rashid expressed confidence in his electoral victory, and said, “We will win 40 out of the 40 seats we are contesting. Jammu & Kashmir does not belong to the Muftis and Abdullahs by inheritance, they should know that Jammu & Kashmir is not something they got in inheritance.”
According to Rashid, there is a political vacuum in Kashmir that only he is filling. “No one except Er Rashid is talking about the real issues of the people, he said.”
He also criticized the lack of concrete action taken by NC and PDP post the abrogation of Article 370. “It’s been more than five years since the abrogation of Article 370. Tell me one practical step that NC or PDP initiated to bring it back,”
Rashid that those associated with the AIP are ideologically driven.
“People associated with my party are ideologically driven by me. Many leaders from other parties are after me for tickets, but I stand firm on my principles.”
“Basharat Bukhari has changed parties ten times, and Abdul Rahim Rather’s son joined the People’s Conference out of fear of Modi,” he added.
Reiterating that his primary focus is on resolving the Kashmir issue, he said, “My priority will be to take steps for the resolution of the Kashmir issue. I need political power to talk about political issues.”
‘Naya Kashmir’ Is A Hoax
Rashid firmly denounced the BJP’s ‘Naya Kashmir’ slogan, calling it a “hoax,” and stated that the abrogation of Article 370 was a “mistake.”
Responding to a question about potential coalitions. “The question of me joining a BJP-led coalition is irrelevant. I am a victim of the BJP. I was booked by the BJP. I am Er Rashid, and I don’t need anyone’s certificate”
My focus on accountability, the Kashmir issue and addressing the political vacuum, Rashid said.
WATCH FULL INTERVIEW
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