Kashmir’s future lies in dialogue: Engineer Rashid

Baramulla, Sep 12: In his first public rally at Delina in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, after his release from Tihar Jail, Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) chief Engineer Rashid said Kashmir’s future lies in dialogue and questioned if talks could be held with the Nagas, why not with Kashmiris.

Addressing a gathering, Rashid in a direct message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “While you are talking of brokering peace deals between Ukraine and Russia and holding talks with the Taliban in Doha, back home you refuse to address the Kashmir issue. If talks can be held with the Nagas, why not with Kashmiris?”

Taking a dig at PM Modi’s ‘Naya Kashmir’ slogan, he said that the slogan had fallen flat.

Rashid said that Modi’s ‘Naya Kashmir’ was nothing but oppression of the people of J&K.

He said Home Minister Amit Shah was terming the abrogation of Article 370 as a big achievement for the party and often took credit for the decline in stone pelting incidents to this action.

Rashid said that the people of Kashmir were peace-loving but would never bow down against any oppression or any mighty force.

Criticising the move of abrogation of Article 370, he said, “The Member of Parliament from Ladakh clapped during Amit Shah’s statement over the abrogation of Article 370. The same BJP suffered a loss in Ladakh’s subsequent elections where it came third, which was a vote against their decision.”

Rashid called on the Centre to take the opportunity to resolve the long-standing “Kashmir issue”, stressing that the voice of the people of Kashmir could no longer be suppressed through arrests and oppression.

“This is now a people’s movement. New Delhi should recognise this and resolve the Kashmir issue without further delay,” he said.

Rashid said that imprisoning youth, Hurriyat leaders, and the real representatives of the people would not sideline the “Kashmir cause”.

He said that the AIP had gained strength as a people’s movement, representing the true aspirations of the people of J&K.

Referring to the presence of his supporters in the rally, Rashid said that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said AIP’s political campaign was being funded.

“Mehbooba Ji should know that people’s movements do not require funds as people themselves get involved in the movement,” he said.

Rashid said that the “biggest betrayal” committed with the people of Kashmir after the “betrayals of National Conference (NC) founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah and his son Farooq Abdullah was by Muftis”.

He said that it was her late father who forged an alliance with the BJP and paved its way into Kashmir politics.

“Mufti Sahab’s vision was bringing BJP into Kashmir and the irony is that his daughter Mehbooba has not to this day repented her father’s decision,” Rashid said.

He said that people like Peoples Conference (PC) President Sajad Lone and Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari were repeatedly clarifying that they were not associated with the BJP.

“But can Sajad Lone answer who said, ‘Narendra Modi is my big brother’ after he met him in New Delhi,” Rashid said.

He urged the youth to focus on acquiring education while trusting AIP with the political struggle.

“Leave politics to us. You have put your faith in us, and we won’t let you down,” Rashid said.