Engineer Rashid walks out, dismisses ‘BJP proxy’ tag; party dubs him ‘rank separatist’

The day after Rashid was granted interim bail to campaign for the J&K Assembly elections, which his Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) is contesting, both he and the BJP seemed keen to underline that there was nothing common between them.

Rashid recently won the Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla, contesting from behind bars as an Independent. He could not get bail then and was allowed out only to take oath as an MP. The circumstances of his release now, ahead of the keenly fought J&K polls, have led both the main regional parties of Kashmir, the National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party, to allege a deal between Rashid and the BJP-led Centre.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Rashid, who will head for Srinagar Thursday morning, said: “The best thing in a democracy is to go to the people, ask the people what they want… And if the BJP has a better solution than self-determination for Kashmir, they should tell us. We will think about it.”

Dismissing allegations that he would be a puppet, Rashid said: “We will fight through peaceful political means. We’re not puppets. We will approach civil society and we will fight using the ambit of the law.”

The MP said he did not desire government formation as much as bringing “the fight from Kashmir to Delhi”. “Our MLAs will come to Delhi and hold peaceful protests. We will become ambassadors of Kashmir and tell people what we go through every day… Ask Modiji what solution they have.”

Criticising the abrogation of Article 370 and subsequent measures by the Modi government, Rashid said: “Aapne Union territory bana diya. Demote kar diya hum ko (You made us a Union territory, demoted us from a state).”

Addressing a press conference after his release, he said: “I want to say something to Amit Shah and Modi. You never listen to Kashmiris. Don’t label us as Pakistanis, treat us as humans… Why are you afraid of speaking to us?” Urging PM Modi to let him speak in Parliament as well, Rashid added: “Daro mat, darao mat (Don’t be scared, and don’t scare us).”

Rashid said the BJP should not “sacrifice” Kashmiris for his political agenda. “We are not enemies of India, I want this country to prosper. I also request my Kashmiri Pandit brothers to please come back. I will protect them. Kashmir is theirs as much as it is ours.”

In his post on X reacting to Rashid’s comments, Ram Madhav wrote: “This rank separatist, in jail for last 5 years under UAPA for indulging in anti-India activities, is out on bail to further vitiate Valley politics. Look at (the) language… anti-Modi rants, restoring Art 370, freeing terrorists from jails…”

He “accepts the challenge” given to them by Rashid, Madhav added. “He wants to defeat Modi’s dream of Naya Kashmir. Naya Kashmir’s March will go on unrelenting.”

In his hour-long press conference, Rashid also targeted the Congress, accusing its governments of having “hollowed out” Article 370 before the BJP came to power.

“INDIA alliance peeche se maar rahe hain. Kam se kam Modiji saamne se maarte hain (INDIA bloc stabs you from the back. At least Modiji strikes from the front),” he said.