Srinagar, Sep 13 : Member of Parliament and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) Chairman Abdul Rashid Sheikh, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, on Friday said that his fight is not against the National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but focused on the broader cause of restoring Article 370 to Jammu and Kashmir.

“Our fight is not against NC and PDP; my fight is based on the restoration of Articles 370 and Article 35A”, Rashid said during a public rally in south Kashmir Anantnag district on Friday.

He made it clear that his struggle is not against NC or PDP but is focused on the broader cause of restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

“Our goal is the resolution of the Kashmir issue, which these leaders have consistently sidelined”, he alleged.

The AIP Chairman strongly criticized Mehbooba Mufti’s tenure as Chief Minister, particularly her treatment of South Kashmir.

“The people of South Kashmir once placed their trust in Mehbooba Mufti and voted for her. But when she came to power, she bruised the people of Kashmir in general, and South Kashmir in particular”, Rashid said and added “She used pellets, bullets, and filled jails with the very people who voted for her”.

“Our so-called regional leaders, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, were quick to congratulate Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on his bail from the Supreme Court, yet they criticized my interim bail” he said.

The Lok Sabha MP said that both the leaders hold sit-in in Delhi and other places for the release of Kejriwal, but have never organized any sit-in or protest in favour of Kashmiris languishing in jails inside and outside Kashmir. They have never spoken up for my detention in Tihar either, Rashid remarked.

Rashid accused Omar and Mehbooba Mufti of hypocrisy in handling legal and political matters.

UNI