Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 11: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister today questioned the timing of the release of Member of Parliament, Baramulla, Abdul Rashid Sheikh alias Engineer Rashid, stating that the move raises “suspicion.”
Speaking to reporters in Shopian after addressing a public rally, Mufti said the Government could have released Rashid when Parliament was in session.
“The way Engineer Rashid has been released now, I wish they had done it while Parliament was in session because he could have raised the issues of the people of J&K,” she said.
The former Chief Minister noted that many young people from J&K are languishing in various jails and suggested that the Government could have released them as well.
“He has been released ahead of elections, which is fine, but there are so many other youths still in jail. They could be released too. Their families are suffering, unable to meet them,” she added.
She pointed out that such families are not facilitated or allowed to meet their sons, while Engineer Rashid even contested elections from jail.
“There is suspicion because he wasn’t released earlier. Engineer Rashid not only fought elections from jail, but he didn’t even have to find candidates; the agencies did that for him to divide votes in Kashmir. Where do they even get the money and other logistics?” she questioned.
Meanwhile, during her address, she raised concerns about the Government’s ambiguous position on the Jamaat-e-Islami ban, questioning the silence of both the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Government regarding Jamaat’s open support for certain individuals.
She sought clarity on whether the ban on JeI is still in effect, highlighting the contradiction of the group’s political involvement if the ban remains active.
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