Srinagar, Oct 16: Member of Parliament and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) president Er Rashid attended the oath ceremony of Omar Abdullah on Wednesday, congratulating the newly sworn-in chief minister and offering his best wishes for the future.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the event, Er Rashid expressed his hope that Abdullah would fulfill his agenda. He called on the Modi government to provide full support to him, saying, “The issues of Jammu and Kashmir are much bigger than our personal interests, egos, and political agendas.”
Drawing a historical parallel, the AIP chief likened Abdullah’s current position to that of his grandfather, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. “Just like Sheikh Sahab, who once served as Prime Minister and later returned as Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who has been Chief Minister of one of the strongest assemblies in the country, now takes on the role of Chief Minister in a Union Territory Assembly—a position he once referred to as less powerful than a municipality.”
Er Rashid assured his support for initiatives that benefit the people of Jammu and Kashmir but said he would oppose any policies detrimental to public interests. “I will fully support Omar Abdullah when he works for the people, and I will resist any actions that go against the interests of the people of J&K,” he said.
The MP also criticised the Congress party, labelling them as “opportunists and hypocrites”. “Congress is a confused party; they say one thing in Jammu, another in Delhi and something else in Srinagar. They need to clarify their stance on the restoration of Article 370,” he said.
“There are internal conflicts within the Congress and their lack of inclusion in the ministry stems not from their position on statehood but from clashes over ministerial roles,” he claimed.
