Jailed MP and Awami Itehaad Party (AIP) chief Engineer Abdul Rashid Sheikh will begin a hunger strike from Friday to protest alleged mistreatment in Tihar Jail.
AIP leaders in a press conference said that Rashid has been facing harsh conditions in prison. They said his decision to go on hunger strike was a protest against these alleged injustices.
Advocate G M Shaheen, a senior AIP leader, urged the government to allow Rashid to attend the upcoming Parliament session. He said the elected MP had the right to represent his people.
Engineer Rashid is a well-known politician from Kashmir. He founded the Awami Itehaad Party and was previously an MLA from Langate in north Kashmir.
In 2019, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested him in a terror funding case. The agency accused him of links to separatist groups and funding militant activities. Rashid and his supporters have denied these charges. Since then, he has remained in Tihar Jail.
Despite being in jail, Rashid contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla. His victory was a huge political upset. He defeated two powerful leaders—former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of the National Conference and Sajad Lone of the People's Conference.
His win reflected public anger towards traditional political parties. Many saw his imprisonment as unfair and voted for him as a sign of protest.
Since his election, calls for his release have grown. His party insists he should be allowed to take part in Parliament. However, the government has not made a decision yet.
Rashid's brother, Sheikh Khursheed, contested the assembly polls from Langate and won, after resigning from the government. The seat was previously won twice by Rashid in the 2009 and 2014 assembly elections.
The AIP had fielded candidates on several seats across Kashmir encouraged by the leads of the party in 18 assembly segments during Lok Sabha elections. However, accusations by the NC and the PDP that Rashid was working for the BJP impacted his electoral prospects, leaving the party only with one seat.