India
Omar fights for seat, I fight for people of Kashmir, says engineer Rashid after leaving Tihar | India News – Times of India
NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR: Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid popularly known as Engineer Rashidwalked out of Tihar Jail a day after he was granted interim bail by a Delhi court to campaign for the J&K state Assembly elections, even as his plea for regular bail was adjourned to October 5 on Wednesday.
Rashid, leader of the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), has been jailed under the UAPA since 2019 in a 2017 terror financing case.
Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh had granted Rashid interim bail on several conditions, including not talking to the media about the case, speaking to the investigating officer through video conference every other day, and not tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses.
His release to contest the election campaign seems to have shocked the mainstream parties in Kashmir, even as Rashid attacked both the BJP and the National Conference (NC) after emerging from jail. Speaking to reporters, he vowed to fight against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “narrative of naya Kashmir” and took a swipe at the NC vice-president Omar Abdullah said he only cared about power.
“PM Modi’s narrative of ‘naya Kashmir’ has failed miserably. This was proven by the people of my constituency on June 4. My vote was actually a referendum against Modi’s narrative… I will fight against his narrative of ‘naya Kashmir’ and for the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue till my last breath,” he said.
Responding to a question about Omar, Engineer Rashid said Omar was fighting for the seat while his fight “is for my people”. “My fight is much bigger than what Omar Abdullah is fighting for. There is a difference between spending five years in London and spending this time in Tihar Jail where prisoners are desperate for medical care,” said the Baramulla MP, who had defeated Omar in the assembly elections by over two lakh votes.
Rashid said he would go to the people to unite them, not divide them. “If that is a crime, I am proud to commit this crime again and again. If I have to spend my entire life in Tihar for this crime, I am ready,” he said. “I will not exploit my people. Let the youth study, let businessmen do business; leave politics to us.”
BJP’s J&K election in-charge Ram Madhav hit out at Rashid’s anti-Modi rhetoric. “This separatist, who was in jail under UAPA for the last 5 years for anti-India activities, is out on bail to further undermine politics in the Valley. Look at the language… anti-Modi tirades, reinstating Article 370, freeing terrorists from jail… no different from what Omar or Mehbooba or even others… — the Gupkar Gang — say. He wants to defeat Modi’s dream of ‘naya Kashmir’. We accept the challenge. Naya Kashmir’s march will continue inexorably,” Madhav said in a post on X.
In response to Er Rashid’s release, Omar and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti insinuated that he and his party were being instigated by the BJP to weaken the major parties in Kashmir.
Talking to reporters in Kupwara, Omar said, “When Arvind Kejriwal was allowed to campaign, they (BJP) opposed the move and wondered how someone could be released from jail for his election campaign, but today they welcomed the release of Er Rashid.”
Mehbooba said Rashid’s release raised doubts and wondered how AIP did not seem to be short of funds even when its leader was behind bars, while her party was struggling to fund campaign rallies. “I am surprised to see AIP organising large rallies in vehicles. Who is funding AIP?” she asked, while talking to reporters in Shopian.
Rashid, leader of the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), has been jailed under the UAPA since 2019 in a 2017 terror financing case.
Additional Sessions Judge Chander Jit Singh had granted Rashid interim bail on several conditions, including not talking to the media about the case, speaking to the investigating officer through video conference every other day, and not tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses.
His release to contest the election campaign seems to have shocked the mainstream parties in Kashmir, even as Rashid attacked both the BJP and the National Conference (NC) after emerging from jail. Speaking to reporters, he vowed to fight against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “narrative of naya Kashmir” and took a swipe at the NC vice-president Omar Abdullah said he only cared about power.
“PM Modi’s narrative of ‘naya Kashmir’ has failed miserably. This was proven by the people of my constituency on June 4. My vote was actually a referendum against Modi’s narrative… I will fight against his narrative of ‘naya Kashmir’ and for the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue till my last breath,” he said.
Responding to a question about Omar, Engineer Rashid said Omar was fighting for the seat while his fight “is for my people”. “My fight is much bigger than what Omar Abdullah is fighting for. There is a difference between spending five years in London and spending this time in Tihar Jail where prisoners are desperate for medical care,” said the Baramulla MP, who had defeated Omar in the assembly elections by over two lakh votes.
Rashid said he would go to the people to unite them, not divide them. “If that is a crime, I am proud to commit this crime again and again. If I have to spend my entire life in Tihar for this crime, I am ready,” he said. “I will not exploit my people. Let the youth study, let businessmen do business; leave politics to us.”
BJP’s J&K election in-charge Ram Madhav hit out at Rashid’s anti-Modi rhetoric. “This separatist, who was in jail under UAPA for the last 5 years for anti-India activities, is out on bail to further undermine politics in the Valley. Look at the language… anti-Modi tirades, reinstating Article 370, freeing terrorists from jail… no different from what Omar or Mehbooba or even others… — the Gupkar Gang — say. He wants to defeat Modi’s dream of ‘naya Kashmir’. We accept the challenge. Naya Kashmir’s march will continue inexorably,” Madhav said in a post on X.
In response to Er Rashid’s release, Omar and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti insinuated that he and his party were being instigated by the BJP to weaken the major parties in Kashmir.
Talking to reporters in Kupwara, Omar said, “When Arvind Kejriwal was allowed to campaign, they (BJP) opposed the move and wondered how someone could be released from jail for his election campaign, but today they welcomed the release of Er Rashid.”
Mehbooba said Rashid’s release raised doubts and wondered how AIP did not seem to be short of funds even when its leader was behind bars, while her party was struggling to fund campaign rallies. “I am surprised to see AIP organising large rallies in vehicles. Who is funding AIP?” she asked, while talking to reporters in Shopian.
