Srinagar: The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) on Friday said that authorities denied them permission to stage a hunger strike at the city center.
The AIP protest was intended to show solidarity with their jailed Lok Sabha MP, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, commonly known as Engineer Rashid, who is beginning an indefinite hunger strike in Tihar Jail from Friday to protest against being denied permission to attend the Budget session of Parliament beginning today
The AIP had sought permission to hold a hunger strike in the city centre.
“Authorities have denied us the permission to hold hunger strike today at Press Colony. Party has decided to hold the same program at our party office situated at Sangermal Complex,” AIP spokesman said.
AIP General Secretary G N Shaheen had said on Thursday party leaders will also observe the hunger strike in Srinagar and in Jammu in solidarity with Rashid.
MP Rashid, who was arrested in August 2019 and faces charges under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act has also written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla informing that he would start his hunger strike on the first day of the Budget session.
“I will go on a hunger strike from January 31 to remind everyone that my people cannot be deprived any longer of their legitimate political rights—both inside and outside Parliament,” Rashid said in the letter.
In 2024 Lok Sabha elections, jailed Rashid had defeated National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah and Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone from the Baramulla constituency.
Rashid was granted interim bail by the Patiala House Court during last year’s Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. However, once the interim bail period expired, he landed again in jail.
