Independent MP from Baramulla, Engineer Rashid has got interim bail for campaigning in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. Just like Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal got bail in the Lok Sabha elections.
Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) of Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, who defeated National Conference leader Omar Abdullah in the general elections, is also participating in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections – Omar Abdullah is not only enraged by the bail granted to Rashid, who won the elections despite being in jail, but PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti is calling his Awami Ittehad Party a proxy of the BJP.
Accused of terror funding gets bail for election campaign
Engineer Rashid getting bail for election campaign is a great example of the strength and beauty of Indian democracy, and at the same time, it is a big proof of the weakness of NIA i.e. National Investigation Agency.
Engineer Rashid was arrested in 2016 under UAPA on charges of terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir, whose name came to light when the NIA was investigating a case related to Kashmiri businessman Zahoor Watali, who was arrested on charges of funding terrorist groups and separatists in the valley. Rashid has got interim bail till October 2 in the terror funding case from Delhi’s Patiala House Court. Engineer Rashid was earlier also released by the court to take oath as an MP.
Engineer Rashid won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla seat in Jammu and Kashmir while he was in jail. The special thing is that Engineer Rashid won the election by defeating National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, who was the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
On Rashid getting bail, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti has said, ‘The parents of a poor person in jail are not allowed to meet him, but some people are contesting elections from jail… forming parties… they are being provided vehicles and security… when they attack our candidate, the police do not take action against them… the Election Commission sends notice to our candidate.’
The PDP leader says, ‘This shows whose side the person is contesting elections from inside the jail.’
Trouble may increase for Abdullah and Mufti
Omar Abdullah is also supporting Mehbooba Mufti’s views. He says, ‘It is good that Mehbooba has openly said something… with which many people agree.’
Omar Abdullah’s first reaction in this matter is, ‘I knew it… this will happen.’ And he says, Mehbooba Mufti has openly said that Engineer Rashid is working at the behest of BJP.
Even though Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti are fighting elections separately, there are many issues on which they agree, including that of Engineer Rashid – and express regret for the people of Baramulla when Rashid was granted bail.
Omar Abdullah alleges that Engineer Rashid has not been granted bail for serving the people of Baramulla… neither for being present in Parliament and working as an MP… Engineer Rashid has been granted bail only for votes.
The National Conference leader says Engineer Rashid will be sent to Tihar again, and there will be no one to represent the people of North Kashmir.
Who will gain or lose from Rashid’s release?
During the Lok Sabha elections, Engineer Rashid’s campaign was managed by his sons Abrar Rashid and Asrar Rashid, and now they are going to campaign for their brother Khurshid Ahmed.
Khurshid Ahmed is contesting the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections from Langate seat in North Kashmir as a candidate of the Awami Ittehad Party. Engineer Rashid has been an independent MLA in the 2008 and 2014 elections.
Engineer Rashid’s victory in the election from Baramulla is, in a way, a weakening of the political line of Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, and this is why both the leaders are trying to blame the BJP for Engineer Rashid getting bail.
Out of the two seats from which Omar Abdullah is contesting elections in Jammu and Kashmir, one of them is the Budgam assembly seat, which actually falls in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency. Actually, Budgam is the area of Baramulla where Omar Abdullah got more votes than Engineer Rashid. Omar Abdullah is also contesting elections from his family seat, Ganderbal.
Now if leaders like Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti suffer even a little loss because of Engineer Rashid, then only BJP will benefit – and that is why Abdullah and Mufti are venting their anger against BJP in the name of Rashid.
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