Police foil AIP workers’ protest, detain several

Srinagar, Jan 31: Several workers of the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) were detained by police on Friday while they were attempting to hold a day-long hunger strike here in support of their demand for the release of their party chief and Baramulla Member Parliament (MP) Er Rashid.

The protest was held in response to Rashid’s ongoing indefinite hunger strike in Delhi’s Tihar Jail, where he has been lodged for over five years.

The AIP workers had initially planned to stage their protest at Pratap Park in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk. However, district authorities denied permission for the demonstration, prompting the protesters to shift their gathering to Sangarmal Shopping Complex. Anticipating the move, security forces were already deployed at the site, leading to the detention of several AIP members, including Rashid’s son, Abrar Rashid.

Eyewitnesses said that the protesters had barely begun their hunger strike when police swiftly intervened, taking them into custody and shifting them to Kothibagh Police Station. The detentions sparked strong reactions from party members, who accused the administration of stifling democratic dissent.

Before being taken into custody, Abrar Rashid condemned the government’s decision to bar his father from attending Parliament, terming it a “murder of democracy.” He said that despite Er Rashid’s electoral victory from Baramulla in the recent Lok Sabha elections, he continues to be denied his democratic rights.

“My father has been in prison for over five years, and now, even after being elected as an MP by the people of Baramulla, he is not allowed to take his rightful place in Parliament. This is not just an injustice to him but an insult to democracy itself,” Abrar said. He also reiterated his father’s decision to launch an indefinite hunger strike in Tihar Jail as a means of peaceful protest against his prolonged incarceration.

Reacting to the crackdown, MLA and AIP leader Sheikh Khurshid expressed disappointment over the detentions, stating that the party leadership would decide on the next course of action once their members are released.

“The government’s suppression of our peaceful protest only strengthens our resolve. We will continue to demand justice for Engineer Rashid and ensure that his voice is heard,” Khurshid said. The protest in Srinagar was organised to express solidarity with Rashid, who, according to them, began his indefinite hunger strike inside Tihar Jail earlier this week.

Despite being elected as an MP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Rashid remains behind bars in connection with a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). His legal team has repeatedly argued for his release or at least for permission to attend Parliament, but no decision has been made yet.