Independent MP from Baramulla Abdul Rashid Sheikh, better known as Engineer Rashid, in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday said the government needs to win the hearts of Kashmiris to end militancy in J&K as only they have a solution to the Kashmir issue.
Speaking during the special discussion on Operation Sindoor, Rashid said: “To end militancy you will have to win the hearts of Kashmiris. But since yesterday none of you here have spoken about Kashmiris. Do you want Kashmir’s land or Kashmir’s people? The ruling party and the Opposition will have to decide today.”
On the situation of J&K, he said, “You say everything is fine there. But you do not allow us to write anything on social media. Over 3,000 people are in jails.”
The MP also said that everyone in the House talked about US President Donald Trump but he does not have the solution to the problem. “J&K people, including Hindus, Muslims and every other community have the solution to the Kashmir issue. It is not a communal issue, it is a political issue. You need to give a political resolution…” “When you could not speak about me, what would you speak about Kashmiris,” he said.
Rashid said the government is “in a hurry to make Hindu rashtra”. “Do that happily but don’t touch the demography of my Jammu and Kashmir and don’t disturb the culture of J&K. Let J&K remain J&K. Do whatever you want to do with Pakistan, how are we concerned? You have a dispute with them (Pakistan) but we are suffering in the middle.” “We are tired of carrying dead bodies,” he said.
Rashid also asked the government how many members from Kashmir were there in the seven multi-party delegation sent by the Centre to different countries to convey India’s message of zero tolerance against terrorism in May.
