Jailed MP Engineer Rashid begins hunger strike inside Tihar

Jailed Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid began a 48-hour hunger strike inside Tihar Jail on Saturday, according to sources from his Awami Itihaad Party (AIP). The party said the “symbolic” protest will continue until Monday morning.

On Friday, Rashid had written to the Director General of Prisons, Tihar Jail, announcing his decision to undertake a two-day hunger strike starting September 20 at 11 am, lasting for a maximum of 48 hours.

He described the hunger strike as a symbolic protest to “call out the hypocrisy of the Indian and Pakistani governments,” who, according to him, are “befooling their people with fake cricket tamashas in the name of the Asia Cup, while ignoring the sacrifices and sufferings of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”

In his letter, Rashid questioned why India and Pakistan can play cricket, share stages on international platforms, and engage in Track-2 dialogues, yet fail to hear “the voice of pain of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”

He also appealed to civil society, the judiciary, media and political parties on both sides to rise above rhetoric and respect the political and human rights of the Kashmiri people.

On Saturday, the party’s chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi confirmed that Rashid had begun his hunger strike at 11 am. “The protest is aimed at exposing the hypocrisy of both Indian and Pakistani governments, who are busy celebrating cricket diplomacy and Asia Cup theatrics while ignoring the unending pain, sacrifices and human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir,” Nabi said.

He added that Rashid has dedicated the hunger strike to awakening the conscience of people in both countries, reminding them that around 70,000 lives have been lost in Kashmir since 1989 due to Indo-Pak hostilities.

This marks the second time Rashid has undertaken a hunger strike while in jail. Earlier this year, he observed a 24-hour fast inside Tihar Jail to protest what he termed the “continued denial of democratic rights to Kashmiris.”

Rashid is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in connection with a terror funding case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Earlier this month, a Delhi court permitted him to visit Parliament in custody on September 9 to cast his vote in the Vice Presidential election.