‘Er Rashid to observe hunger strike, walk barefoot to Parl on Jul 21’
Srinagar: Jailed MP Baramulla Er. Rashid, through his legal team, has reiterated his firm commitment to fight for the legitimate rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and assured them that he would be the last person to compromise his conscience.
The statement was made public during a press conference organised by the Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) in Srinagar. The press conference was addressed by AIP Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi, who was accompanied by Vice President Adv. G. N. Shaheen, General Secretary Prince Parveez, State Secretary Sheikh Ashiq and PS to MP Baramulla Firdouse Baba. Inam Un Nabi read out the message sent by Er. Rashid from Tihar Jail.
Reading out Er. Rashid’s message, Inam Un Nabi quoted him as saying, “I do not want to add bitterness towards anyone, but before asking AIP to support its protest for the restoration of statehood, the National Conference leadership needs to be reminded of its intentional and organised betrayals, which the party indulged in to sabotage AIP’s sincere and much-needed initiatives, including the clemency resolution for Afzal Guru in the Assembly, protection of the Right to Eat, observance of State Flag Day, declaring 7th June as a State Holiday and protecting the human rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The National Conference and the other constituents of the so-called Gupkar Alliance have wilfully helped the BJP Government strengthen its narrative and shift the goalposts by confining themselves only to the demand for restoration of statehood. Though restoration of statehood is a legitimate demand of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the NC has failed to pursue the larger political aspirations of the people.
The NC cannot distance itself from the fact that it secured an absolute majority in the 2024 Assembly elections only after assuring the people that it would fight for the restoration of autonomy in its original form, in accordance with the resolution passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 1999. The NC must also not forget that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have not made enormous sacrifices merely for the restoration of statehood, but for the restoration of all their legitimate rights that have been taken away from them from time to time.
However, it must also be kept in mind that while other regional parties, especially the other constituents of the Gupkar Alliance, are justified in questioning the National Conference for restricting its demand to statehood alone, they too owe answers to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. They must explain what they have collectively or individually done for the restoration of the people’s rights, including Statehood, Article 370 and Article 35A. They cannot absolve themselves merely by criticising Omar Abdullah while hiding their own failures, incompetence and lack of initiative.
Under such circumstances, when almost all regional parties have left the people of Jammu and Kashmir to the mercy of the Modi Government, it is in the larger interest of the people that even a small positive initiative deserves support. The BJP Government should have restored Statehood immediately after the 2024 Assembly elections and the National Conference should have insisted on Statehood restoration before forming the Government, as had been proposed by the Awami Itihaad Party.
Having said that, AIP cannot shut its eyes to the sufferings of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. To express our solidarity with the National Conference’s proposed protest on July 20, I will observe a day-long hunger strike and walk barefoot to Parliament on 21st July to stress the need for a meaningful, time-bound and result-oriented dialogue between the Centre and the elected representatives, along with other legitimate stakeholders of Jammu and Kashmir.
However, AIP’s support for the July 20 protest must not, by any stretch of imagination, be construed as an endorsement of the National Conference’s weak and diluted political stand on various legitimate issues.”
Speaking on the occasion, Inam Un Nabi said that the Awami Itihaad Party has always stood for the restoration of the complete political and constitutional rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He recalled that AIP had led a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi last year, demanding not only the restoration of full Statehood, but also the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, revocation of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), release of political prisoners, revocation of the termination of government employees, an end to the demolition of residential houses, withdrawal of the indiscriminate use of the Public Safety Act (PSA), and restoration of all democratic and constitutional rights of the people.
Inam Un Nabi said that while the National Conference’s decision to protest for Statehood is welcome, “Omar Abdullah’s step is too little, too late.” He said that restricting the struggle to Statehood alone amounts to ignoring the larger aspirations and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, which AIP has consistently championed both inside and outside Parliament.