Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 7: Member of Parliament from North Kashmir and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) chief, Engineer Abdul Rashid, today urged political parties not to form a Government until the Centre restores the Statehood of Jammu and Kashmir.
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Addressing a press conference, Rashid said that the people want their representatives to go beyond mere statements and unite in demanding the restoration of Statehood.
“They did nothing in the last five years. Now that elections are over and results are due tomorrow, my request to the INDIA bloc, PDP, PC, and others is to unite and not form a Government until Statehood is restored,” he said.
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Rashid emphasized that all political parties, including those who win the Assembly elections, understand that any Government formed in the Union Territory set up will have limited powers and that restoring Statehood would “add some dignity.”
“Congress took the votes but remains silent on Article 370. Even if any party or alliance gets a majority, the focus should be on one thing: pressing the Government to restore Statehood. It is a responsibility we all share,” he added, clarifying that his priority is not for Government formation.
The AIP chief also said that if political parties need support in their efforts to restore Statehood, “we are ready to assist because it is a small but meaningful step they can take.”
Rashid also called for the restoration of the “Darbar Move,” noting that it strengthened the bond between the people of Kashmir and Jammu.
“If a Government is formed, what will be the capital of J&K? The Darbar Move was a symbol of unity, and viewing it solely through an economic lens is wrong. I demand its restoration before forming any Government to strengthen that bond,” he said.
Regarding the nomination of members by the Lieutenant Governor, Rashid termed it “against the spirit of democracy,” questioning why such practices are allowed in J&K but not elsewhere in the country.
“If the Prime Minister and Amit Shah claim full integration of J&K with the country, why this? If such nominations don’t exist elsewhere in India, why here? What’s the point of democracy if they can’t restore the Council and then nominate whoever they want? Otherwise, this practice undermines democracy,” he said.
Rashid also condemned hate speech by Yati Narsinghanand, stating that laws like UAPA were designed for people like him. “We condemn these remarks and question why no action has been taken against him yet.”
Additionally, Rashid raised concerns about the “neutrality” of the Election Commission of India (ECI), noting that while newly formed parties have been granted registration, his AIP has been denied.
“The ECI must explain why we have been denied registration. This raises questions about its neutrality. Parties with no substantial presence have been registered, but not us,” he said.
Finally, regarding the upcoming SCO meet, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar set to attend in Pakistan, Rashid commented that dialogue between India and Pakistan is positive, but it should not be “just for the sake of dialogue.”
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