Former chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Monday said that the jailed Engineer Rashid, who won the Lok Sabha election on the Baramulla seat, should be given the opportunity to take oath and represent his constituents.

Engineer Rashid, who contested the election from the Tihar Jail where he is lodged on the charges of terror funding, had defeated Omar Abdullah on the North Kashmir seat.

Commenting on the oath taking ceremony of the newly elected MPs, Omar wrote on X: “It is important to acknowledge that while the people of North Kashmir have elected Engineer Rashid, he should be given the opportunity to take his oath and represent his constituents. It is equally important to recognize the injustice faced by those imprisoned, who are unable or unwilling to participate in elections.”

Declaring the floor strategy of the NC MPs, Omar said; “Our Members of Parliament will vociferously demand justice for all prisoners, including Engineer Rashid. We will also demand the immediate transfer of these prisoners held in jails outside J&K back to jails in Kashmir, pending their release.”

Seeking amnesty for those detained after abrogation of Article 370, Omar wrote; “One of our main demands will be a broader amnesty for all individuals detained after August 5, 2019.”

Hitting out at the government on the NEET paper leak issue, Omar wrote: “While attacking the opposition is the prerogative of the Hon PM & we wouldn’t expect BJP being humbled in the recent polls to change that, it would have been in the fitness of things for the Hon PM to spare a few words for the young men & women for whom the NEET scandal is the only issue that matters. Exam pe charcha isn’t a one off but a long term commitment to the interests & concerns of students.”

“I congratulate all the Members of Parliament who are taking their oaths today, including those representing the people of Jammu and Kashmir. This is a momentous occasion for our democracy,” he said.

“It’s tough watching my party colleagues taking oath in the Lok Sabha today. Such mixed emotions, I’m proud of their victory & the opportunity they’ve got to serve the people of J&K. At the same time I’m gutted I won’t be representing the people of North Kashmir. That said, life goes on,” he wrote.

Expressing concern over the paper leak, PDP leader and former CM, Mehbooba Mufti also wrote on X: “While hundreds of elected Member Parliamentarians will take an oath today after their well earned victories, lacs of students across India who toiled day & night to take multiple competitive exams will watch helplessly as their hard work goes down the drain. Parliament – India’s temple of democracy will stand stark in contrast to the despair & despondency these youngsters have been pushed into. Hope every parliamentarian will rise above party affiliation & raise their voice for our younger generation whose future looks very bleak”.

Raising the issue of Engineer Rashid, Apni Party leader Altaf Bukhari has written on X: “Why the disparity in treatment of two public representatives? Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh was released earlier this year to take oath as Rajya Sabha member and Engineer Rashid, despite getting a huge public mandate, isn’t being given any relief so far to take the oath as Member Parliament. When will this step-motherly treatment to Kashmiris be over and New Delhi start treating people of J&K at par with the rest of the country? Leaving it to the conscience of GoI to see the different approaches when it comes to matters pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir.”