In a charged parliamentary speech, jailed Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) President and Baramulla MP Er Rashid rejected J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s assertion of a “clear sky” in Kashmir, warning that “dark clouds” of uncertainty and alienation persist, removable only through sincere dialogue.
Speaking ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to inaugurate the Katra-Baramulla railway line, Er Rashid welcomed the move but pleaded, “As I sit in jail, I urge the PM to ensure my people aren’t deprived of their rights—my constituency spans 18 assembly segments, and their voices must be heard.”
Countering Abdullah’s optimism, he declared, “The sky is filled with dark clouds,” pressing Modi and the state leadership to prioritize North Kashmir’s grievances over political spin, and uphold the region’s political, social, and human rights.
