'Spare a thought for Engineer Rashid,' says Sajad Lone on fasting MP

Srinagar: Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone on Thursday expressed concern over Baramulla Lok Sabha member Sheikh Abdul Rashid going on a hunger strike.

"Irrespective of political differences, let us spare a thought for Engineer Rashid sahib who is on a hunger strike," Lone, who was defeated in Lok sabha polls by Rashid, popularly known as Engineer, said in a post on X.

The firebrand politician, who is in Tihar jail in connection with a terror case, has been on a hunger strike since January 31 for not being allowed to attend the Parliament which is currently in session.

Lone, the MLA from Handwara, also raised the issue of Kashmiris languishing across the country's jails.

"And let us remember hundreds of Kashmiris who are not in their homes with their families but jailed in far off places. Many of them have spent decades in jails, in the most inhospitable and hostile conditions," he said.

Lone said political evolution can turn a hero into a villain and vice versa in no time.

"If yesterday's hero is today's villain - today's villain can be tomorrow's hero. That is political evolution. Masses have to drive discourse. Masses cannot be discourse driven," he added.