Thu Sep 12 11:04:10 UTC 2024: ## Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid Released on Interim Bail, Vows to Fight ‘Naya Kashmir’ Narrative

**New Delhi:** Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, who has been in Tihar Jail since 2019 on terror funding charges, was released on Wednesday on interim bail till October 2 for campaigning in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls.

Upon his release, Rashid vowed to fight Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Naya Kashmir” narrative, which he claims has failed in the region. He further criticized National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, accusing them of destroying Kashmir.

“I feel stronger coming out of jail after five-and-a-half years. I am committed to fighting for the people of Kashmir,” Rashid said, adding that he aims to bring lasting peace to the region and prove that Kashmiris are not “stone pelters.”

Rashid’s release comes amidst the upcoming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, scheduled to be held in three phases. His Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) is contesting the elections independently, not aligning with either the opposition INDIA bloc or the ruling NDA.

While Rashid’s release has been welcomed by his supporters, NC leader Omar Abdullah criticized the move, claiming Rashid’s bail was for “fetching votes from the people of Kashmir, not to serve them.” Rashid responded by accusing Abdullah of hiding in London while he was “literally dying” in Tihar jail for five years.

Rashid’s release comes with several conditions, including refraining from speaking to the media about the case. The court granted him interim bail on a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh and a surety of the like amount.

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections are expected to be closely watched, with Rashid’s return to the campaign trail likely adding another layer of complexity to the already fraught political landscape.

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