AIP President and MP Baramulla Er Rashid attended the swearing-in ceremony of Omar Abdullah, congratulated the newly-sworn-in leader and wished him all the best for the future. Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the ceremony, Rashid said, “My best wishes to Omar SB. Let’s hope he fulfills his agenda. Let us hope that the Modi government will extend full support to Omar Abdullah because the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is bigger than our personal interests, ego and political agenda.”
Giving historical context, Rashid compared Omar Abdullah’s current position with that of his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah, saying, “Just like Sheikh Abdullah SB, who once held the post of Prime Minister and later came back as Chief Minister “Umar SB, who has been the Chief Minister of one of the strongest assemblies in the country, today joins as the Chief Minister of a Union Territory Assembly – a post he once considered less powerful than a municipality.”
He assured Omar Abdullah of his support on initiatives that benefit the people of Jammu and Kashmir, but made it clear that he will oppose any policy that harms public interests. Rashid said, “Whenever Omar Abdullah works for the people, I will give him my full support and I will protest whenever it is against the interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Speaking to media persons, Er Rasheed also criticized the Congress party and termed them “opportunists and hypocrites”. He said, “Congress is a confused party; They say one thing in Jammu, something else in Delhi and something else in Srinagar. Congress should clarify on the restoration of Article 370.”
He further hinted at internal conflicts within the Congress, saying, “The reason for his not being included in the ministry is not his stand on restoration of statehood, which he claims, but his internal conflicts over ministerial posts “
