Engineer Rashid’s Bold Stand: ‘I Will Sacrifice My Life’ – Surrendering at Tihar Jail
Engineer Rashid accused Farooq Abdullah of inconsistency on Pakistan, claiming Abdullah has one opinion in power and another when out of it.
Sheikh Abdul Rashid, the Lok Sabha MP from North Kashmir’s Baramulla commonly known as Engineer Rashid, said on Monday that he was willing to sacrifice his life for the people of Jammu and Kashmir before surrendering at Tihar Jail.
He also said he is committed to the welfare of Kashmir and wishes for peace, development, and the restoration of people’s rights. “We are ready to sacrifice our lives for the public. We have done nothing wrong; justice will be served to us. Whether we are in jail or at home, we will always talk about the welfare of the people, the welfare of Kashmir, and peace, but with honour and dignity. We will not surrender,” ANI quoted Rashid as saying.
“I will tell the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the truth is with us; we are not wrong. We want peace and development, but we also want our rights back,” he added.
Rashid surrendered after his interim bail in a terror-funding case, which is currently being investigated by the NIA, expired.
He also said that he would support chief minister Omar Abdullah wherever he does good work.
“We hope Omar Abdullah will fulfill all his promises. Wherever he does good, I will support him, and wherever he does not work in favour of Kashmiris, we will fight tooth and nail democratically,” he said.
Rashid reassured the people of Jammu and Kashmir not to fear his imprisonment, expressing confidence that they will fight and win, and emphasising that he has not committed a crime.
“I will tell the people of Jammu and Kashmir not to be afraid of me going to jail; we will fight and win. We have not committed a crime. I am not worried about going to jail; there is only one feeling: I will be away from my people,” Rashid said.
Engineer Rashid condemned the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the people of the Union Territory are opposed to violence. He called on all stakeholders to unite and engage in dialogue to address the issue.
“We are against any violence. There is a need for reconciliation; all stakeholders should come and talk. For peace to be restored, we must not forget the principles upheld since 1947. Peace cannot be achieved without justice, and justice can only occur when all stakeholders come together at the table to discuss solutions” he told ANI.
He accused Farooq Abdullah of being inconsistent in his stance on Pakistan, claiming that Abdullah shares one opinion while in power and another when out of power.
“When Farooq Abdullah is in power, he expresses one opinion, but when he is out of power, he expresses a different one. Omar Abdullah follows a similar pattern. Since 1947, his party has maintained a double standard. However, the time will come when the people will teach them a lesson. They secured votes using Article 370, but now they are not even mentioning it,” he said.