Engineer Rashid’s son leads campaign for jailed leader in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla
Engineer Rasheed, who has been lodged in jail for the last five years in connection with a terror funding case, is taking on NC’s Omar Abdullah and Sajjad Lone in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla
Enthused supporters of incarcerated former legislator Engineer Sheikh Abdul Rashid, on Wednesday held a road show from Baramulla to Uri as part of their campaign trail for the Lok Sabha elections.
Led by Engineer’s 26-year-old son Abrar Rashid, the rally traversed the 50-km stretch. The leaders addressed several public gatherings canvassing for the jailed leader, with Abrar saying, “I have seen my father for the past five years. We don’t have money for banners, posters and vehicles. Our hope is our people who will come out in big numbers to vote for Engineer Rashid.”
“Today’s vote is for innocent Engineer Rashid and the vote can take him to the Indian parliament and also get him released,” he added.
Engineer Rashid, who has been in Tihar jail for five years, is a firebrand voice from Langate, who was known to raise issues of common masses and led several protests against alleged human rights violations in the region. A formidable political force in North Kashmir, he is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Baramulla as an independent candidate.
He had garnered more than 1 lakh votes in the 2019 polls, losing to National Conference’s Akbar Lone, who polled 1.33 lakh votes. He had secured a solid lead in many assembly segments including Baramulla and Uri.
Former legislator and leader of Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) Shoiab Lone is the only political leader openly supporting Engineer Rahid and was part of the roadshow. He has also been seeking votes for the jailed leader on social media.
“We know the people of Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora and Budgam won’t let us down,” Lone, who holds clout in the Baramulla, Sopore and Sangrama assembly segments, said during the road show.
Rashid as an independent candidate has been allocated the symbol of pressure cooker.
He was arrested by NIA in 2019 after the agency had filed a chargesheet against Hafiz Saeed, Syed Salahuddin and 10 other separatist leaders for alleged terror funding and secessionist activities in the Valley.
The entry of Engineer Rasheed in the fray added another dimension to the contest between NC’s Omar Abdullah and Sajjad Lone, both of whom have been busy in campaign blitzkrieg of their own, as he has potential to cut the votes in several assembly segments.