Engineer Rashid Raises Civilian Killings in First Speech in Indian Parliament

Srinagar: During his maiden speech in the ongoing budget session, Engineer Rashid, the Member of Parliament from Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, raised the issue of the recent killings of civilians in Kathua and Baramulla districts of Jammu Kashmir. He stated that Kashmiri blood is not cheap and demanded an impartial investigation into the deaths. Engineer Rashid was granted a two-day custodial parole by the Delhi High Court on Monday to attend the parliamentary session.

While addressing the Indian parliament, Rashid called for a fair probe into the killing of Waseem Ahmad Mir, who was shot dead by the army during a checkpoint inspection in Baramulla, and the alleged suicide of Makhan Din in Kathua due to police brutality. He urged the house to take these deaths seriously, asserting, “Our blood is not cheap; we have the right to live.”

He also questioned the role of security forces, stating, “Do our forces need Waseem Mir’s blood every day?” He pressed the government to conduct a thorough investigation into both cases.

Additionally, Rashid highlighted the challenges faced by the residents of remote areas in North Kashmir, including Karnah, Keran, and Machil. “These people survive for six months solely by the grace of God,” he said, urging the government to construct a tunnel to improve connectivity to these regions.

The Delhi High Court had granted him parole with certain restrictions, including a ban on using the internet or speaking to the media during his attendance at the parliamentary session. Meanwhile, the court has scheduled Engineer Rashid’s bail plea hearing in the NIA case for February 24, following clarification from the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday, Justice Vikas Mahajan deferred the hearing after being informed by the High Court administration’s lawyer that the Supreme Court clarified that the NIA court handling the case has the jurisdiction to hear the bail plea. In light of this, Justice Mahajan advised Engineer Rashid’s lawyer to approach the NIA court for bail.