‘I am open to joining anyone… if they have a roadmap. If Rahul Gandhi promises restoring Art 370… even after 50 years… I will follow’: Engineer Rashid

Q) You person been successful jailhouse for five-and-a-half years. What alteration bash you spot connected the ground?

The archetypal happening I observed is that aft the abrogation of (Article 370), radical are keen to articulation the electoral process. But this alteration of temper is not due to the fact that of (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi’s ‘Naya Kashmir’. It is due to the fact that radical consciousness oppressed and suppressed.

In Tihar (Jail), I saw much than 2 twelve youths, adjacent minors, booked for societal media posts. This is the level of suppression. So, Kashmiris privation to springiness vent to choler done the elections. There seems to beryllium a realisation that a boycott oregon unit is not going to resoluteness issues.

The 2nd happening I observed is that radical don’t fto down sincere people. My triumph has proved that.

Q) Has jailhouse changed you arsenic a person?

Every time successful Tihar is similar 10 years successful hell. How has it changed me?… It (jail) lays bare who your foes are and your friends… differentiates opportunism from commitment.

Q) Why did you contention the caller Lok Sabha elections from jail? How bash you spot your win?

From January 18 (when the Lok Sabha elections were announced) till my merchandise date, I was the lone inmate denied the customary five-minute play telephone to family. This is due to the fact that I was being compelled to enactment a BJP proxy – I volition not sanction him. When I refused, I was subjected to the worst benignant of humiliation and torture. What I went done would beryllium portion of my autobiography. I contested due to the fact that I was pressured to enactment their (the BJP’s) proxy. And now, spot the irony, the proxies are calling maine a proxy.

Q) How was your Lok Sabha run managed?

I did not cognize what was happening. They (the jailhouse authorities) had wholly excommunicated me. My lone nexus was a fewer newspapers. One day, a jailhouse authoritative told maine that my lad Abrar was campaigning for me. I was taken aback, I was angry, but what could I do? I sent him a connection done idiosyncratic that helium should beryllium successful college. But I did not cognize what happened aft that.

Q) How did you find retired astir your triumph against National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah successful Baramulla?

Tahir Hussain (a erstwhile Aam Aadmi Party councillor jailed successful transportation with the 2020 Delhi riots) was adjacent to my cell. At astir 1.15 p.m. (on effect day), helium was watching a Hindi (news) transmission erstwhile helium abruptly shouted. He told maine that Omar Abdullah had accepted his defeat. Everyone was happy.

Q) What bash you deliberation contributed to your win?

A cognition has been created that I got sympathy votes. It was a ballot for my committedness to the radical of J&K, it was a ballot for the exemplary of governance that I started successful Langate (his Assembly spot arsenic MLA). I was seen arsenic the lone lawmaker who stood for the people. When I was sent to Tihar, radical started questioning ‘Why lone him?’ There was a realisation that I americium not compromised.

Secondly, it was a ballot against the Modi government’s determination to abrogate Article 370.

Q) You person been a professional of the NC and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In the involvement of J&K, would you articulation a ‘secular’ alliance?

I person supported them connected occasion. For me, secularism is not important close now. For me, what is important is that Kashmir’s honour and dignity beryllium restored, the Kashmir contented resolved.

But then, erstwhile they (NC, PDP leaders) were released (from location apprehension aft the abrogation), they formed the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration. They adjacent invited the Shiv Sena and AAP, but they didn’t invitation Engineer Rashid. So, they person mislaid the motivation authorization to criticise me.

Q) You accidental the NC and the PDP person nary roadmap. What is your roadmap?

Once Farooq Abdullah said helium would usage the Gandhian mode to get Article 370 back. Did helium ever person a hunger onslaught for 1 day? Did helium ever inquire radical to clasp a one-day peaceful strike? When they criticised (Hurriyat person Syed Ali Shah) Geelani for issuing (protest) calendars, Geelani would inquire them to springiness him an alternative. They couldn’t.

… They (the Valley-based mainstream leaders) should not person gone to the Supreme Court. Article 370 was a governmental issue, but they made it a ineligible issue. The thoroughfare is simply a politician’s playground, not the court. It was a governmental fight, should person been fought politically.

The different happening they did, erstwhile PM Modi called an all-party gathering (in June 2021) – lone 1 enactment was not invited, and that was the AIP – they (the J&K-based parties) asked (then Congress leader) Ghulam Nabi Azad to talk connected their behalf. Couldn’t they speech to the PM? What happened aft that meeting? Did the PM ever telephone them?

But adjacent then, I americium unfastened to joining hands with anyone… if they person a roadmap. If Rahul Gandhi promises that aft coming to power, adjacent aft 50 years, helium volition bring a Bill to reconstruct Article 370, I volition travel them.

Q) But what is your roadmap?

My roadmap is my committedness and sincerity. I was an MLA for 11 years, I deed the streets connected genuine issues… I tried to correspond the sentiments and aspirations of the people… I faced the wrath, but I saved my people… My roadmap is that I privation to instrumentality this conflict retired of Kashmir and to Delhi. Omar sahab oregon Madam (Mehbooba Mufti) were seen arsenic ‘Delhi’s people’ successful Kashmir. I americium a Kashmiri who is representing Kashmir successful Delhi.

Q) So would you state with the NC-Congress oregon the PDP?

Government enactment is simply a precise petty issue. The larger contented for maine is the solution of the Kashmir issue. Government enactment volition beryllium seen aft October 8 (the effect day).

Q) The AIP is being called a refuge for ‘turncoat’ politicians?

My spot and absorption against Modi made radical travel Engineer Rashid… Why should I debar it? I made them instrumentality an oath that they volition travel Rashid’s ngo and not betray him. At slightest 20-30 (other) erstwhile legislators and ministers did everything to get the mandate (tickets) of the AIP. I refused.

If tomorrow, Modi ji agrees to my presumption and conditions, should Kashmiris not speech to him? In Kashmir – wherever our main ministers person go similar peons and clerks – if I could unite 1 antheral from that campy (close to New Delhi), it would beryllium an honour and privilege for me.

Q) The basal of some PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah is that determination is nary contented aft the abrogation of Article 370.

India is saying we volition speech to Pakistan if they halt ‘exporting terrorism’. What volition they speech astir – biryani, oregon potatoes and tomatoes? It volition evidently beryllium the Kashmir issue. Modi ji has compulsions, helium has to make a nationalist perception.

Q) How bash you spot the NC-Congress alliance?

It is an unholy, soiled alliance… Why would radical enactment Rahul Gandhi? Rahul Gandhi should accidental they person miserably failed Kashmiris, his enactment has belittled us. The main harm has been done by the Congress… Article 370 was conscionable a skeleton and Modi buried it.

Q) Once you spell backmost to jail, what volition hap to your party?

I deliberation determination are large lessons successful it for New Delhi. When Geelani sahab was (in jail)… contempt each the oppression, they couldn’t termination his communicative and his ideology. The infinitesimal I came out, the enactment automatically emerged similar a tsunami… everything changed. Today, Omar Abdullah has 1 sanction connected his lingua – Engineer Rashid. So bash Mehbooba and (People’s Conference chief) Sajad Lone… That is my victory. How volition the enactment run? Even their soundlessness volition beryllium seen arsenic resistance.

Q) There are allegations regarding the timing of your bail, conscionable up of the polls.

I got bail due to the fact that Arvind Kejriwal excessively got bail. I got bail for the elections due to the fact that I applied citing the same. Where does the question of timing arise?