Delay Govt formation, push for statehood: Engineer Rashid

Srinagar, Oct 7: Member of Parliament from Baramulla, Engineer Rashid Monday called on opposition parties in Jammu and Kashmir to delay government formation in J&K to pressurise the central government into restoring statehood, however, National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah reacted to his statement saying that his remarks play into the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and favour central rule.

Talking to reporters here, Rashid urged the parties aligned with the INDIA bloc including the NC and Congress, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and other regional factions to unite and demand statehood before forming any new government in J&K.

“Irrespective of who gains the majority, my humble request to the INDIA bloc, PDP, and all regional parties is to stand united for the restoration of statehood. They should refrain from forming a government until this crucial issue is addressed,” Rashid said.

He said that all political forces should come together and send a clear message to the BJP-led government in New Delhi. “No government until statehood is restored. AIP is fully prepared to cooperate on this matter because this is the will of the people. Every voter desires the return of statehood,” he said.

The Member of Parliament from north Kashmir criticised the central government’s decision to allow the Lieutenant Governor to nominate five members to the Legislative Assembly and termed it a move that undermines the democratic process. “The government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi removed J&K’s special status under the pretext of complete integration. If that’s the case, why are we seeing special provisions like these nominations? This doesn’t happen anywhere else in India. So, why here?” he said.

Rashid argued that any nominations to an elected legislature were fundamentally against democratic principles.

“If the Centre wants representation for various communities, the correct mechanism is to revive the Legislative Council. Nominations within an elected body are undemocratic,” he said.

Rashid also questioned the rationale behind reserving nominations for Kashmiri Pandits and West Pakistani refugees, pointing out the inconsistency of such decisions.

“If the government can nominate people from these communities, why not nominate Muslims in Gujarat or elsewhere? Why are there no Muslims in the union cabinet, and why aren’t Muslims nominated to the Parliament?” he said.

Rashid also criticised the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of bias for not granting his Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) registration despite what he described as strong electoral performance.

“We have contested elections for five years as AIP. We performed well in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and this year’s polls, yet we are still denied registration. Meanwhile, parties like the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and Apni Party, which have no significant base or performance, have been registered easily. This raises serious concerns about the credibility of the ECI,” he said.

The AIP president also raised concerns about the division of assets between the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

“Jammu and Kashmir has a population of 1.25 crore, while Ladakh has just four lakh people. Why then are assets, like the Jammu and Kashmir House in Delhi, being split equally between the two UTs? This imbalance needs to be addressed,” Rashid said.

The MP also called for the restoration of the Darbar Move, a practice that involved the biannual shifting of the Jammu and Kashmir government between Srinagar and Jammu, saying that it fostered a deeper cultural and emotional connection between the two divisions.

Turning his attention to religious matters, Rashid demanded action against controversial Hindu priest Yati Narsinghanand for his blasphemous remarks against Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

“Yati Narsinghanand has once again indulged in blasphemy. This doesn’t affect us because our Prophet (SAW) lives in our hearts, and we are ready to sacrifice everything for his name. But I want to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi: Why isn’t Narsinghanand booked under the PSA (Public Safety Act) when people in Kashmir have been arrested for far less?” he said. Rashid also responded to People’s Conference President Sajad Gani Lone’s recent claims that articles published in Rashid’s name before he entered politics were in reality written by Lone.

“I cannot discuss the merits of the case against me due to court orders. However, Sajad Lone is openly admitting that he authored these articles, which were used as evidence against me for allegedly promoting separatism. This is a confession, and he should be jailed for it,” Rashid said.

NC Vice President and former chief minister Omar Abdullah reacted to Rashid’s statement and quoted a video of Rashid saying that the BJP would like nothing more than to extend central rule in J&K. “The man goes to Delhi for 24 hours and comes back to play straight into the hands of the BJP. The BJP would like nothing more than to extend central rule in J&K if they aren’t in a position to form a government,” Omar posted on his official handle on microblogging site X.