Engineer Rashid announces barefoot march to Parliament over J&K statehood

During a press conference organised by the Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) in Srinagar, party chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi read out a message sent by Rashid from Tihar Jail.

"I do not want to add bitterness towards anyone, but before asking the AIP to support its protest for the restoration of statehood, the National Conference leadership needs to be reminded of its intentional and organised betrayals, which the party indulged in to sabotage AIP's sincere and much-needed initiatives, including the clemency resolution for Afzal Guru in the Assembly, protection of the Right to Eat, observance of State Flag Day, declaring June 7 as a state holiday and protecting the human rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," the message said.

Rashid alleged that the National Conference and other constituents "of the so-called Gupkar Alliance have wilfully helped the BJP government strengthen its narrative and shift the goalposts by confining themselves only to the demand for the restoration of statehood."

"Though restoration of statehood is a legitimate demand of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the NC has failed to pursue the larger political aspirations of the people," he said.

Rashid further said that while other regional parties, particularly the constituents of the Gupkar Alliance, were justified in questioning the National Conference for limiting its demand to statehood, they too owed answers to the people.

"They must explain what they have collectively or individually done for the restoration of the people's rights, including statehood, Article 370 and Article 35A. They cannot absolve themselves merely by criticising Omar Abdullah while hiding their own failures, incompetence and lack of initiative," he said.

The Lok Sabha MP said the AIP could not ignore the sufferings of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"To express our solidarity with the National Conference's proposed protest on July 20, I will observe a day-long hunger strike and walk barefoot to Parliament on July 21 to stress the need for a meaningful, time-bound and result-oriented dialogue between the Centre, elected representatives and other legitimate stakeholders of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

He, however, clarified that the AIP's support for the July 20 protest "must not, by any stretch of imagination, be construed as an endorsement of the National Conference's weak and diluted political stand on various legitimate issues."