Centre must allow NC-led govt to run smoothly: Engineer Rashid

Baramulla MP and Awami Ittihad Party (AIP) head Engineer Abdul Rashid on Monday launched scathing attack on National Conference (NC) and chief minister-designate Omar Abdullah over ‘not seeking’ Article 370 restoration from Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) government at the Centre. He, however, said the Centre and the Raj Bhawan ‘must allow Omar run the Union territory’s government smoothly’.

Rashid said his party will stand with Omar over rights of people of Kashmir.

“We assure Kashmiri people that whenever he talks about legitimate rights of Kashmiris, we will stand behind him and will act as a constructive opposition. We request the Modi government to allow Omar to run the government and not harass him,” Rashid told reporters in north Kashmir’s Bandipora, where he was reviewing developmental works. Rashid, whose party won just one seat in Kashmir, questioned if the BJP continued to remain in power for 50 years, would Abdullah still not seek restoration of Article 370.

“It is expected of political leadership to fight people’s political fights. That is why I had suggested that the new MLAs don’t take oath till statehood is restored,” the AIP chief said.

Rashid’s comments come after Omar, who was pushing restoration of Article 370 during election campaign, said it would be ‘foolish to ask for its restoration from those who revoked it’, after his party secured a win with 42 seats. NC ally Congress got six seats, taking the coalition over the majority mark.