Baramulla: Independent candidate Abdul Rashid Sheikh, also known as Engineer Rashid, has won the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency.
Shortly after the victory, his son, Abrar Rashid, who was instrumental in mobilising support for his jailed father, said that the true victory will be achieved when his father will be released from jail and when he will work for freeing all political prisoners.
Engineer Rashid has been lodged in Tihar jail since August 9, 2019, on charges of terror financing. He was arrested shortly after the Centre scrapped the Article 370 along with many other political leaders. Most of them were released later while Rashid continues to be in jail.
Abrar said his father will not join NDA or INDIA bloc and will stay independent. However, he added that until his father was released from jail, he couldn’t make any definite statements.
In an exclusive interview with Siasat.com, Abrar Rashid said, he has not received any communication from anyone. “If anything had happened, it may have been between Er Rashid and the party, but as far as I know, no such communication has been received,” he said.
Reacting to the allegations about Er Rashid receiving support from the Centre, his son said that the his father fought the election as an independent candidate, and it was clearly visible on the ground.
He stated that his father was not fighting as anyones ‘A, B or C team’ but as an independent candidate with the support of the people of Kashmir.
‘True victory after his release from jail’
Abrar said that the true victory will be achieved when his father will be released from jail. “The true victory will be when my father is released from jail and when he can work for freeing all political prisoners,” he said.
Abrar said that the electorate in Kashmir expressed their frustration with dynastic politics by voting for change and development. The election outcome demonstrated their aspiration for a better future and a break from the status quo.
He urged the Indian government to support the youth in Kashmir, highlighting their peaceful nature and democratic values. Abrar stressed the importance of engaging the younger generation in building a peaceful and prosperous Kashmir.
In response to critics who dismissed support on social media, Abrar pointed out that the election results validated the people’s desire for transformation and representation. He called for a collaborative effort to address the aspirations of the Kashmiri people and pave the way for a brighter future.
‘People’s victory’
Meanwhile, Er Rashid’s father said, “It’s not my son’s victory, it’s the people who supported him and made him the winner.”
Khazir Mohammad Sheikh said that his son, Engineer Rashid, has dedicated himself to serving the people and was sent by them to be their voice.
He said that while he was not inclined towards politics himself, it was the people who chose and empowered Er Rashid to advocate for the voiceless in Kashmir.
He said he is looking forward to his son being released from jail soon so he could extend his help to the numerous young people from Kashmir imprisoned across the country.
He hopes that his son’s freedom would enable him to assist those in need and continue serving the people of Kashmir selflessly.
He appealed to the Government of India to expedite the release of his son so that he could return and serve the multitude of people eagerly anticipating his assistance.
The verdict
Rashid was contesting against National Conference leader and former J&K CM Omar Abdullah and People’s Conference leader Sajad Lone. Rashid won with a majority of over 2 lakh votes. He got 472481 votes while Abdullah finished second with 268339. Lone was came a distant third with 173239 votes.
The was the first general election in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.
In jail since 2019, if Engineer Rashid is to be convicted and jailed for a minimum of two years, he would lose his seat in the Lok Sabha immediately as per the Supreme Court judgment of 2013, which holds that MPs and MLAs would be disqualified in such cases.
This decision struck down section 8(4) of the Representation of the People Act, which earlier allowed convicted MPs and MLAs three months to appeal against their convictions.
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