Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) president Engineer Rashid on Friday said his struggle is against the ideologies of the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), rather than against the parties themselves. He accused these groups of neglecting the Kashmir issue in Delhi.
Addressing a public gathering in north Kashmir’s Sopore, Er Rashid, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Baramulla, said he aims to represent the people’s sentiments.
The AIP chief criticised the NC and PDP for acting as “intermediaries” for the central government instead of advocating for Kashmir’s interests.
“My fight is against their ideology because they cannot speak about the Kashmir issue out of fear in Delhi. Here in Kashmir, they serve Delhi’s interests,” he said. “We are neither stone-pelters nor anti-national elements. But if the Government of India genuinely wants peace in Kashmir, they must resolve the Kashmir issue.”
Rashid said he is not scared of imprisonment or any consequences and that he will continue to fight for Kashmir’s rights.
Reflecting on Sopore’s history, the Baramulla MP said the town had received “unjust” treatment, particularly because it is the hometown of the late Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani. He also recalled how Geelani was buried in secrecy during the night, saying such actions cannot suppress the truth.
The AIP chief also recalled the tragic 1993 Sopore massacre, where 57 civilians lost their lives and a huge property was destroyed. “Sopore’s mistreatment is evident,” he remarked, criticising the lack of attention given to the region’s suffering.
He criticised the lack of attention given to the killings and “sacrifices” in Kashmir, saying that those who raise their voices against atrocities are often labelled as anti-national, Pakistani agents or stone-pelters. “This labelling will not continue in the future,” he asserted, adding that he will keep speaking out for the rights of the Kashmiri people.
Rashid took a dig at Omar Abdullah, saying that if the former chief minister had effectively represented the Kashmir issue in Delhi, he wouldn’t need to “beg for votes” for an MLA seat in Ganderbal.
In his address, Er Rashid promised that 500 students from north Kashmir would be admitted to universities outside the region each year. “My true fulfilment comes from serving the people of Sopore rather than holding a high political office,” he said, adding, “The chief minister’s post is not as valuable as addressing the people of Sopore at its historic main chowk.”
The MP assured the people that he would meet their expectations, and set a standard that would make other parliamentarians say, “MP Ho Toh Aisa (MP should be like him).” Rashid concluded by pledging that Sopore would once again reclaim its status as “our crown”
