Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid has been released on interim bail. Delhi's Patiala Court granted him interim bail until October 2, 2024, in a terror-funding case, so he can campaign for the upcoming Jammu & Kashmir Assembly elections. He initially requested three months of bail, and his regular bail plea is still pending.
Upon release, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, known as Engineer Rashid, said, 'I won't let my people down. I vow to fight PM Modi's 'New Kashmir' narrative, which has totally failed in Jammu & Kashmir. On August 5, 2019, his actions were rejected by the people. I am committed to working for my people's welfare. I urge Modi Ji: Don't fear, and don't instill fear.'
He added, 'We are not afraid. My fight is greater than what Omar Abdullah stands for. His fight is for the throne; my fight is for the people. For me, the government is not the issue; the Kashmir issue is. I am a victim of BJP's tactics, and I will fight against PM Modi's ideology until my last breath. I am coming to unite my people in Kashmir, not to divide them. We want a peaceful solution to the Kashmir issue. I have no interest in alliances with either NDA or INDIA.'
Conditions of Interim Bail
Mehbooba Mufti Targets Engineer Rashid
People's Democratic Party (PDP) President, Mehbooba Mufti, said on Tuesday that only her party advocates solving the Kashmir issue and raises its voice for 'incarcerated' youths. Targeting Engineer Rashid's Awami Ittihad Party, she said, 'A person in jail is running for elections, while families of poor prisoners can't even meet their relatives in jail.' She added, 'On one hand, parents of poor prisoners aren't allowed to meet their children in jail, but on the other hand, some people are running for elections, forming parties, and getting vehicles and security from jail. When they attack our candidates, the police don't act against them. Instead, the Election Commission sends us notices. This reflects the bias towards those running for office from jail.'
Source: aajtak
Omar Abdullah Criticizes Rashid's Bail
Omar Abdullah also targeted Engineer Rashid, calling him an ally of BJP. National Conference Vice President, Omar Abdullah, said on Tuesday that the jailed MP was granted bail to get votes from the people of Kashmir, not to serve them. He added that Rashid will be sent back to Tihar Jail after the elections, leaving North Kashmir without representation again. Rashid had won the Baramulla seat in the Lok Sabha elections from jail, defeating Omar Abdullah.
Omar stated that it's yet to be seen how voters will respond to Rashid's interim bail and its impact on the elections. When asked about Mehbooba Mufti's claim that Engineer Rashid's party is a proxy of the BJP, Omar said he is cautious about this issue but agrees that many people share her view.
Rashid has been in jail since 2019, having defeated National Conference leader Omar Abdullah by a significant margin while contesting as an independent candidate in the Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla. His Awami Ittihad Party (AIP) is set to contest in the upcoming Jammu & Kashmir elections. Rashid was granted custody parole on July 5 of this year to take the oath after winning the Lok Sabha elections. He was arrested in 2019 by the NIA in connection with a 2017 terror-funding case and held in Delhi's Tihar Jail. His name emerged during an investigation into Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested by the NIA for allegedly financing terrorist groups and separatists in the valley.
The NIA implicated several individuals, including Kashmiri separatist leader Yasin Malik, Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, and Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin. Malik was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a trial court in 2022.
