Er Rashid attends Lok Sabha for first time, raises J&K civilian deaths in maiden speech

New Delhi: Member of Parliament from Baramulla, Engineer Rashid on Tuesday attended the Lok Sabha proceedings for the first time after his election last year.
He was brought from Tihar Jail under custody parole granted by the Delhi High Court to participate in the ongoing Budget session.
Er Rashid, who has been in custody since 2019 in connection with a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, was granted a two-day custody parole.
In his maiden speech in the Lok Sabha, Er Rashid as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), raised concerns over recent civilian deaths in J&K, asserting that the “blood of Kashmiris is not cheap.”
He demanded an impartial probe into the deaths of Waseem Ahmed Mir, who was killed in alleged Army firing during a naka checking in Baramulla and Makhan Din, who died by suicide after he was questioned by Police in Kathua.
“Do our forces need Waseem Mir’s blood every day?” Rashid asked, calling for accountability and a fair investigation into both incidents. “Kashmiris have the right to live with dignity and the government should do justice with them,” he added.
Additionally, Baramulla MP highlighted the hardships faced by residents of remote areas like Karnah, Keran, and Machil in North Kashmir, which become inaccessible in wintyer months.
He appealed for the construction of a tunnel to improve connectivity and ease their struggles.
Pertinently, the Delhi High Court had imposed restrictions on Rashid’s parole, barring him from using the internet or speaking to the media during his time in the Parliament.