Srinagar, Sep 11: As Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid was granted interim bail by a Delhi court, valley's two main regional parties – National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party – on Tuesday said the bail had raised several questions.
National Conference's state spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar told sources that the timing of the bail raised suspicion, especially when the electioneering was at the peak in the Valley.
“We are also waiting for the government to give justification,” he said, terming it as an “interesting shift” in these elections, which will play on “people's mind.”
PDP spokesperson Mohit Bhan said while bail was always a welcome decision, there were questions that need to be answered as well.
“Why is there a selective choice about giving bails? Why youth are not granted bails who are languishing in jail for years now, without trial. Why is there only an interim bail till the elections are over,” he said.
“If the court finds that he is not a threat while campaigning, then why don't you give him a regular bail? The government and judiciary must answer these questions.”
He said the way the entire set up was created in the past 15 days, from not having a single candidate to now fielding candidates in almost every seat, raises eyebrows.
Srinagar-based Prof Noor Baba said while granting bail to Rashid may cause some “disruptions”, he may not enjoy the same kind of sympathy, which he enjoyed during the Lok Sabha polls. “It is ultimately people who will finally decide how they take it,” said Baba.
As the Awami Ittehad Party led by Rashid is contesting more than 30 seats in the Valley, it has faced several questions as well. Rashid's brother, who was a former government employee, is now contesting the polls as well. In the past, Rashid had stated that no one from the family would join politics. The party recently gave tickets to those leaders who were denied mandate by traditional parties.
On Monday, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had accused jailed MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party of being a proxy of the BJP and warned the people of J&K not to come under the influence of such parties.
Rashid's party, however, denied the charges, saying Mufti's political space is hit because of AIP. On Rashid's brother contesting the polls, the party said it was his brother Sheikh Khursheed who took care of Rashid's family while he was in jail and he wants to serve the people.
Move hailed
As Rashid was granted bail by a Delhi court on Tuesday, his party welcomed the decision.
“We welcome the decision,” party leader Prince Parvaiz told The Tribune. He said with Rashid coming out of jail, it would boost the party and make the “campaign one sided” in favour of Awami Ittehad Party.
Rashid's son Abrar Rashid, meanwhile, said finally the day has come for which people of North Kashmir were waiting for. “He will go to meet people and will represent them,” he said.
Former Chief Minister and NC vice-president Omar Abdullah said he knew that it was going to happen and Rashid had been granted bail to fetch votes. “…he will be then sent back to Tihar Jail and people of North Kashmir will again be unrepresented. We will have to see how a voter will take this and what impact this will have on the voters,” he said.
