Srinagar(Jammu and Kashmir): Member of Parliament from Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) President, Er Rashid, who was released from Tihar jail on bail in a terror funding case, landed at the Srinagar airport on Thursday.
“Alhamdulillah, landed at the Srinagar airport,” Rashid wrote in a post on his official Facebook page.
Shortly after landing at the airport, Rashid broke down and prostrated on the road. Dozens of his supporters were present at the airport to welcome him after over five years which he spent in Tihar jail, accused by National Investigation Agency of terror funding.
Asked about his first reaction on landing in his homeland after years of incarceration, Rashid said, “I want to tell my nation not to lose heart and get discouraged. Truth is with us. Nobody on earth, be it Narendra Modi, be it Amit Shah, can suppress our voices. Truth is with us and truth will be victorious. We are not begging anybody. We want to be treated like humans. We want that Jammu and Kashmir issue which is pending since 1947 and has claimed 4-5 lakh lives be resolved so that peace returns to the sub-continent so that no mother loses her children and nobody is imprisoned...”
"Being in power or being an MP or MLA doesn't matter. The self-respect, rights and liberty of Kashmiris has to be protected, preserved and honoured first," he added.
'Fighting On Behalf Of The Powerless'
Asked about his landslide victory against former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the Lok Sabha election on Baramulla constituency by more than 2 lakh votes, Rashid said, "I have high regards for other leaders, but my fight is for the powerless who are unable to fight on their own".
"They (political leaders) were invisible for the last five years. That is why they suffered drubbing in the parliamentary elections. My fight is much more bigger than what PDP and NC are trying to do," he said.
"I am not pleased at Omar sahib's defeat. But the truth is that people of north Kashmir have punctured Modi ji's narrative of 'Naya Kashmir' in the parliamentary elections. Hats off to the people of north Kashmir and entire Kashmir," Rashid added.
Further attacking PM Modi, Rashid said, "Peace will come on our terms not on your terms. We don't want peace of a graveyard, but of honour and dignity".
Assembly Election Campaigning
Engineer Rashid will address a rally in Delina area of Baramulla where hundreds of people have gathered to listen to him.
On Wednesday, Rashid had said that he will address the rally in Baramulla to pay his gratitude to the people for electing him to the parliament.
Rashid was elected from jail as an MP from Baramulla in the recent parliamentary elections in his he defeated former chief minister Omar Abdullah by more than 2 lakh votes.
His party is contesting on more than 35 seats in the upcoming assembly elections and Rashid will campaign for the candidates that he has fielded against NC, PDP and other parties.
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