J&K MP on hunger strike in jail over Kashmir issue
Engineer Rashid, a Lok Sabha MP from Jammu and Kashmir, is set to begin a two-day hunger strike in Tihar Jail starting Saturday.
He's protesting both Indian and Pakistani governments, timed with the India-Pakistan cricket match, saying both governments fail to hear the pain of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Rashid has been held by the NIA since August 2019 on terror funding charges.
Rashid's protest highlights his ongoing political struggle
According to his party spokesperson Inam Un Nabi, this hunger strike calls out what he describes as "hypocrisy" from leaders of both countries.
Rashid also criticizes Pakistan for sidelining Kashmiri voices while engaging with Indian cricketers.
Even from jail, he remains a prominent political figure—he won his Baramulla seat in the 2024 elections—and hopes his protest will push for real respect for Kashmiris's rights and more honest discussion about their issues.