Opinion-A Government That Starves Democracy

Er Rashid, the voice of 18 lakh people, is fighting for justice with nothing but his conviction and an empty stomach. As his hunger strike enters its eighth day, his health has deteriorated to a critical state, forcing authorities to shift him to RML Hospital. But let’s be clear—this is not just about his health. This is about a system that believes it can silence democracy by starving its dissenters.

Why has it come to this? Why must an elected representative risk his life just to be heard? In a functioning democracy, a leader’s voice should echo in Parliament, not be suppressed to the point where his only weapon is self-starvation. The fact that Rashid has been pushed to such an extreme shows the government’s absolute unwillingness to listen to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

This is not just about one man; it is about the dignity of 18 lakh people who chose him as their representative. Their will is being crushed under political arrogance and systemic oppression. If a sitting MP can be treated this way, imagine the fate of the ordinary Kashmiri.

Enough is enough. The people must rise in unity and demand justice. Silence is complicity. If we allow this to continue, we set a dangerous precedent where elected voices are muzzled, and democracy is reduced to a hollow shell.

Today, Er Rashid’s life hangs in the balance—not just because of his hunger strike, but because of a system that refuses to hear his voice. If the government still has any regard for democracy, it must engage with his release immediately. Anything less is a betrayal of the people.