India
Engineer Rashid says ready to support INDIA bloc in J&K elections, but on one condition | India News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: Engineer Rashid, who recently emerged from jail on interim bail in a terror financing case, on Thursday said he would support the Opposition INDIA block candidates for the upcoming elections in Jammu and Kashmir, if it promises to restore Article 370, which gave the Valley special status.
“If the Indian alliance assures us that it will restore Article 370 when it comes to power in Delhi, I will ask all my candidates to cast all the votes of their supporters for them,” Rashid, who won the Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla constituency, told news agency PTI.
Rashid further said that if India wants to realise its dream of becoming a world power, it will have to “address the Kashmir issue”.
“If India is to be FishwaguruKashmir has to be resolved. If you (Modi) have a better solution, tell us. You say the other side (of Kashmir) wants to join this side. That may be true, but how will we know?” he asked.
The Baramulla MP said that if talking about resolving the Kashmir issue makes him a separatist, then the entire North Kashmir region that voted for him will also become separatist.
“I want to make it clear that we are neither enemies of India nor agents of Pakistan. We are agents of our conscience. Modi took everything away from us on August 5, 2019 — illegally and unconstitutionally,” he said.
Reacting to Home Minister Amit Shah’s remark on Jammu and Kashmir state, Rashid said, “How will 370 come back? You will have to protest at Lal Chowk and be ready to be beaten with batons. But they (National Conference and PDP) cannot do it. When Amit Shah said that nobody can give back the state of Jammu and Kashmir except the BJP government, they did not even dare to say that we will fight for it. That does not mean that you have to be violent. Gandhiji did it through non-violence,” he added.
Rashid emerged victorious in Baramulla against Omar Abdullah in the 2024 parliamentary elections, which were held earlier this year.
He has been in custody since 2019 after he was arrested by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the 2017 terror financing case.
His name came up during the investigation into Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested by the NIA for allegedly financing terrorist groups and separatists in Kashmir.
The NIA has filed a chargesheet against several persons, including Kashmir separatist movement leader Yasin Malik, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin, in connection with the case.
“If the Indian alliance assures us that it will restore Article 370 when it comes to power in Delhi, I will ask all my candidates to cast all the votes of their supporters for them,” Rashid, who won the Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla constituency, told news agency PTI.
Rashid further said that if India wants to realise its dream of becoming a world power, it will have to “address the Kashmir issue”.
“If India is to be FishwaguruKashmir has to be resolved. If you (Modi) have a better solution, tell us. You say the other side (of Kashmir) wants to join this side. That may be true, but how will we know?” he asked.
The Baramulla MP said that if talking about resolving the Kashmir issue makes him a separatist, then the entire North Kashmir region that voted for him will also become separatist.
“I want to make it clear that we are neither enemies of India nor agents of Pakistan. We are agents of our conscience. Modi took everything away from us on August 5, 2019 — illegally and unconstitutionally,” he said.
Reacting to Home Minister Amit Shah’s remark on Jammu and Kashmir state, Rashid said, “How will 370 come back? You will have to protest at Lal Chowk and be ready to be beaten with batons. But they (National Conference and PDP) cannot do it. When Amit Shah said that nobody can give back the state of Jammu and Kashmir except the BJP government, they did not even dare to say that we will fight for it. That does not mean that you have to be violent. Gandhiji did it through non-violence,” he added.
Rashid emerged victorious in Baramulla against Omar Abdullah in the 2024 parliamentary elections, which were held earlier this year.
He has been in custody since 2019 after he was arrested by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the 2017 terror financing case.
His name came up during the investigation into Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested by the NIA for allegedly financing terrorist groups and separatists in Kashmir.
The NIA has filed a chargesheet against several persons, including Kashmir separatist movement leader Yasin Malik, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed and Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin, in connection with the case.
