‘The mainstream should shake hands with Hurriyat’
‘If speaking truth is anti-national, then I am the biggest anti-national’
‘Why should I give up the legislative position ? Let me talk to Geelani first, and then we can see’
Srinagar: MLA Langate Engineer Rashid on Thursday said that he would love to join Hurriyat under the leadership of Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
Responding to resistance leader Geelani’s appeal to main stream parties to join Hurriyat, Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) chief, Rasheed has offered to join Hurriyat for the larger Kashmir cause of right to self determination.
‘I am a rebel if you are a tyrant”, Rashid commenced the press conference held by AIP at Hotel Pamposh in Srinagar on Thursday.
Welcoming the ‘move’ made by Chief Minister Mehbooba to meet National Conference president Farooq Abdullah regarding the abrogation of Article 35-A, he said “We welcome the move made by CM Mehbooba Mufti to meet Abdullah regarding the abrogation of Article 35-A”.
Rashid urged the leadership to join hands. “Previously, the leadership was all divided but now it is a good and a welcome the fact that the leadership is making efforts to stand together.”
Accusing New Delhi of cornering the Kashmiris and the Kashmiri leadership, he added that “we must be very thankful to New Delhi for making the leaders come together in these times.”
“The mainstream should shake hands with Hurriyat,” he further added.
“Geelani had earlier told Kashmir Life, a weekly magazine based in Srinagar, that Geelani and Er Rashid are on the same page,” the lawmaker added.
“New Delhi wants to put Kashmir on a defensive mode. Whenever we talk about Azaadi, they mention removing Article 35-A so that puts us in a defensive mode. These are their tactics”, he further added.
“I would love to join Hurriyat. Even if I get to work under Geelani sahab’s watchman, that would be a big deal for me,” he said, “However, I would like to discuss what his plan is before making this decision. We cant have just Hartals all the time. There has to be more than that.”
“I have only one agenda: plebiscite, and I am ready for a merger with Hurriyat,” he reiterated.
On being asked if he was okay being branded as an anti-national regarding his wish to join the resistance leadership, he said that,”If speaking truth is anti-national, then I am the biggest anti-national”
When asked if he would give up his MLA position now that he wanted to join Hurriyat, he said “Why should I? Let me talk to Geelani first, and then we can see.”
