Don’t form government till statehood is restored: Rashid

Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) chief and North Kashmir Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid today asked the political parties in J&K to refrain from taking the oath of office or forming a government till the statehood is restored.

“Restoration of statehood is important for the dignity and rights of the people of J&K. Until the statehood is restored, I request all political parties — National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), People’s Conference (PC), Apni Party, ANC and others — to unite and not to form a government or support any government till the statehood is restored,” he said, addressing a press conference in Srinagar.

“We must unite and form a common minimum agenda that places statehood at the top. This is not the time for party politics. It is the time to work together for the people to achieve some common goal,” he said.

National Conference vice-president and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah accused Rashid of playing into the hands of the BJP.

“The man goes to Delhi for 24 hours and comes back to play straight into the hands of the BJP,” Omar wrote on X. “The BJP would like nothing more than to extend central rule in J&K if they aren’t in a position to form a government,” Omar said.

Inam Un Nabi, chief spokesperson for the Awami Ittehad Party, said: “The call to delay government formation is not playing into anyone’s hands, but is a demand for dignity, democracy and the restoration of J&K’s rightful statehood.”