'Will follow Rahul Gandhi if...': Engineer Rashid throws down the gauntlet to PM Modi, vows to restore Article 370

Engineer Rashid, often referred to as the bête noire of Kashmiri politics, has made a striking comeback, fresh out on bail after spending five and a half years in Tihar Jail for terror-related chares. As Kashmir's electoral process unfolds, especially now with the valley undergoing Assembly polls for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370, Rashid has wasted no time in reigniting his political mission, taking direct aim at the ruling BJP, as well as traditional Kashmiri parties and also the Congress. 

Speaking in an interview recently, Rashid is candid in admitting that his agenda is restoring Article 370 back. "For me, secularism is not important right now. For me, what is important is that Kashmir’s honour and dignity be restored, the Kashmir issue resolved," he told The Indian Express in an interview, further adding that the traditional parties, like the PDP and the NC, have failed to uphold the trust people had put in them. 

"Article 370 was a political issue, but they made it a legal issue. The street is a politician’s playground, not the court. It was a political fight, should have been fought politically," he added.

On the Ground Post-370 Abrogation

Reflecting on the changes in Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370, Rashid paints a grim picture, countering the BJP’s narrative of "Naya Kashmir." He acknowledges a shift in mood, with more Kashmiris willing to engage in the electoral process, but attributes this not to any positive development by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, but to a sense of deep oppression.

“People feel oppressed and suppressed,” Rashid said bluntly. “In Tihar, I saw more than two dozen youths, even minors, booked for social media posts. This is the level of suppression. Kashmiris want to give vent to their anger through the elections. There seems to be a realisation that a boycott or violence is not going to resolve issues.”

According to Rashid, his own victory in the elections was due to the people’s recognition of sincerity in leadership. “People don’t let down sincere people. My victory has proved that.”

Victory and What It Signifies

But Rashid scoffs at the suggestion that his victory was due to sympathy votes. “It was a vote for my commitment to the people of J&K, for the model of governance I started in Langate. I stood for the people, and when I was sent to Tihar, people questioned: ‘Why only him?’”

He further attributes his win to widespread discontent over the Modi government’s handling of Kashmir, particularly the abrogation of Article 370. “It was a vote against the Modi government’s decision.”

As for working with traditional Kashmiri political parties, Rashid shows that he is sceptical, especially of the NC and PDP. He pointed out that they lack any meaningful roadmap for Kashmir’s future. 

He harshly criticised the NC and PDP leaders for their perceived inaction, particularly in the aftermath of Article 370’s abrogation. “Once Farooq Abdullah said he would use the Gandhian way to get Article 370 back. Did he ever have a hunger strike for one day?” Rashid asks sarcastically. 

While open to alliances, Rashid has his goal firmly in place: “If Rahul Gandhi promises that after coming to power, even after 50 years, he will bring a Bill to restore Article 370, I will follow them.”

The Road Ahead

As for his own roadmap, Rashid is clear. “My roadmap is my commitment and sincerity. I want to take this battle out of Kashmir and to Delhi. Omar sahab or Mehbooba Mufti were seen as ‘Delhi’s people’ in Kashmir. I am a Kashmiri who is representing Kashmir in Delhi.”

Despite the ongoing elections, Rashid views the broader issue as the resolution of the Kashmir issue, not merely government formation. “Government formation is a very petty issue. The larger issue for me is the resolution of the Kashmir issue.”