Not granted bail to attend Parliament session, J&K MP Rashid to go on hunger strike

Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid has announced an indefinite hunger strike from Tihar jail to protest his inability to attend the upcoming Budget session due to incarceration. Despite his election in June, he was denied bail to represent his constituency. Rashid calls this a deprivation of his democratic rights.

Not able to attend the upcoming Budget session of Parliament because of his incarceration, Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid Thursday announced that he will go on an indefinite hunger strike in Tihar jail from Friday, the date of commencement of Lok Sabha. Rashid, who won from prison, has not been given bail to attend Parliament since his election in June. Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) chief Rashid has written to LS Speaker Om Birla, informing him of his plan for hunger strike, stating that he was being denied his democratic right to represent his constituency in Parliament, despite being an elected representative.

Rashid condemned the "systematic deprivation" of his parliamentary rights and described the authorities' actions as a "mockery of democracy". He said his hunger strike is a reminder to govt to respect the voice and mandate of people of North Kashmir. AIP spokesman Inam Un Nabi said party members too will hold a hunger strike at Srinagar's Press Colony Friday: "Rashid's decision to go on an indefinite hunger strike from jail is a desperate yet dignified response to the injustice he continues to face.

We urge the authorities to respect democracy and allow him to fulfill his duties as an elected MP.".