Democracy Denied: Awami Itihad Party(AIP) Condemns Crackdown on Peaceful Hunger Strike

"Who Is Suppressing Our Rights?" – Langate MLA Questions Admin’s Silence

Srinagar, January 31: In a scathing statement, AIP Senior Leader & MLA Langate Sheikh Khursheed condemned the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s refusal to grant permission for a peaceful hunger strike in solidarity with MP Baramulla Er Rashid. He termed the crackdown on workers and volunteers as a blatant attack on democratic rights.

“We came here to peacefully sit for a hunger strike, but unfortunately, the administration denied permission. Despite this, our workers and volunteers who stepped out in support faced arrests by the Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP),” Sheikh Khursheed stated.

Accusing the administration of systematically silencing voices across North Kashmir to Delhi, he remarked, “This is nothing but a direct tampering of democratic rights. It was our basic right to protest peacefully, yet we were not allowed.”

Omar Abdullah’s Silence Under Scrutiny

Sheikh Khursheed also questioned the silence of Omar Abdullah, stating that the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) leader had been vocal about the misuse of power in the past but has chosen to remain quiet now.

“If Omar Abdullah truly received the full mandate of the people, why is he silent now? What has changed? Who is responsible for this suppression—the LG, the state administration, or someone else?” he asked.

Violation of Constitutional Rights

Citing Article 19(1)(a) & (b) of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, Sheikh Khursheed called the administration’s actions “completely undemocratic.”

“Omar Abdullah is the Chief Minister here, and he is accountable. His silence is directly responsible for the suppression of every Kashmiri’s basic rights,” he asserted.

As tensions rise over the treatment of political dissent in Jammu and Kashmir, Sheikh Khursheed’s statement raises a crucial question: Is democracy truly alive in the region, or is it being selectively applied?