NEW DELHI: Engineer Rashid, who recently stepped out of jail after interim bail in a terror-funding case, said on Thursday he would support the opposition INDIA bloc candidates in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir elections if it promises to restore Article 370, which granted the Valley a special status.
“If INDIA alliance assures us that it will restore Article 370 when it comes to power in Delhi, I will tell every candidate of mine to pledge each vote of their supporters for them,” Rashid, who won the Lok Sabha elections from the Baramulla constituency, told news agency PTI.
Rashid further said if India desires to achieve the dream of being a global power, it will have to “address the Kashmir issue“.
“If India has to be Vishwaguru, Kashmir has to be resolved. If you (Modi) have a better solution, please tell us. You are saying that the other side (of Kashmir) wants to join this side. It may be true as well but how do we find out?” he asked.
The Baramulla MP said if talking about the resolution of the Kashmir issue makes him a separatist then will the entire north Kashmir region that voted for him be secessionist.
“I want to make it clear that we are neither enemies of India, nor agents of Pakistan. We are agents of our conscience. Modi has snatched everything from us on August 5, 2019 — illegally and unconstitutionally,” he said.
Reacting to Union home minister Amit Shah’s remark on Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, Rashid said: “How will 370 come back? You will have to protest at Lal Chowk and be ready to be hit by batons. But they (National Conference and PDP) cannot do it. When Amit Shah said no one can give back the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir except the BJP government, they did not even dare to say we will fight for it. It does not mean one has to be violent. Gandhiji did it through non violence,” he added.
Rashid emerged victorious from Baramulla against Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Parliamentary elections held earlier this year.
He has been imprisoned since 2019, following his arrest by the NIA under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the 2017 terror-funding case.
His name emerged during the investigation into Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested by the NIA for allegedly funding terror groups and separatists in Kashmir.
The NIA filed a chargesheet against several individuals, including Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, in connection with the case.
“If INDIA alliance assures us that it will restore Article 370 when it comes to power in Delhi, I will tell every candidate of mine to pledge each vote of their supporters for them,” Rashid, who won the Lok Sabha elections from the Baramulla constituency, told news agency PTI.
Rashid further said if India desires to achieve the dream of being a global power, it will have to “address the Kashmir issue“.
“If India has to be Vishwaguru, Kashmir has to be resolved. If you (Modi) have a better solution, please tell us. You are saying that the other side (of Kashmir) wants to join this side. It may be true as well but how do we find out?” he asked.
The Baramulla MP said if talking about the resolution of the Kashmir issue makes him a separatist then will the entire north Kashmir region that voted for him be secessionist.
“I want to make it clear that we are neither enemies of India, nor agents of Pakistan. We are agents of our conscience. Modi has snatched everything from us on August 5, 2019 — illegally and unconstitutionally,” he said.
Reacting to Union home minister Amit Shah’s remark on Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, Rashid said: “How will 370 come back? You will have to protest at Lal Chowk and be ready to be hit by batons. But they (National Conference and PDP) cannot do it. When Amit Shah said no one can give back the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir except the BJP government, they did not even dare to say we will fight for it. It does not mean one has to be violent. Gandhiji did it through non violence,” he added.
Rashid emerged victorious from Baramulla against Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Parliamentary elections held earlier this year.
He has been imprisoned since 2019, following his arrest by the NIA under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the 2017 terror-funding case.
His name emerged during the investigation into Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested by the NIA for allegedly funding terror groups and separatists in Kashmir.
The NIA filed a chargesheet against several individuals, including Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, in connection with the case.
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