Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, who has been lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail in a terror-funding case, has expressed his willingness to step down from Parliament, prompting his party, the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), to seek the opinion of workers and supporters before taking a final call.
Rashid, who has been in judicial custody since August 2019, is facing trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of the Indian Penal Code on charges related to terror funding and conspiracy. Despite being behind bars, he contested and won the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Baramulla.
'Unable To Serve People'
According to the AIP, Rashid has conveyed that he is unable to effectively serve the people who elected him with a massive mandate and therefore wishes to relinquish his parliamentary seat.
AIP chief spokesperson Inam-un-Nabi said the party’s Political Affairs Committee held detailed discussions on the matter and decided to launch a broad-based consultation exercise involving office-bearers and workers across all 18 Assembly segments of the Baramulla constituency.
“The committee has decided that party leaders at different levels will participate in a two-day consultation process to deliberate on whether Engineer Rashid should continue as an MP or resign from the post,” Inam said.
He added that, if required, the party could even conduct a secret ballot among its members to ensure that opinions are expressed freely and without pressure. Party functionaries at the panchayat and block levels will also interact with members of the public and various sections of society to gauge their views on the issue.
According to Inam, the objective is to ensure that any decision regarding Rashid’s future as an MP reflects the wishes and aspirations of the people who placed their trust in him and the party.
He said the outcome of the consultations, and any subsequent voting process, would be formally conveyed to Rashid, enabling him to take an informed decision.
Reiterating AIP’s commitment to internal democracy and accountability, Inam said major decisions should be guided by the collective wisdom of party workers and the people the party represents.
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