Shehla Rashid announces decision to quit electoral politics, opposes BDC polls in JK
New Delhi, Oct 9: Six months after her entry into mainstream politics, former JNU student leader Shehla Rashid on Wednesday announced her decision to quit electoral politics in Kashmir saying she can't be a party to legitimising the "suppression" of people.
Rashid, who became a prominent face of student activism following a controversy over a 2016 event at the Jawaharlal Nehru University during which alleged anti-national slogans were raised, had earlier this year joined the Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement floated by former IAS officer Shah Faisal.
In a statement, the former JNUSU vice-president said she was compelled to dissociate "with the electoral mainstream in Kashmir" due to the central government's move to hold Block Development Council elections later this month in Jammu and Kashmir, where communication restrictions are in place.
The restrictions were imposed on August 5 after the Centre scrapped Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcated the state into two Union Territories.
Rashid termed the Block Development Council polls as a "sham electoral exercise".
I cannot be party to the exercise of legitimizing the brutal suppression of my people. I would, therefore, like to make clear my dissociation with the electoral mainstream in Kashmir.
"I will continue to be an activist and raise my voice against injustice on all fronts that do not require a compromise and I'll continue to put my energies behind the Supreme Court petition seeking the restoration of special status of the state, and the reversal of bifurcation of the state," she said in the statement.
Rashid said she had joined politics as she believed it was "possible to deliver both justice as well as good governance, and also work for the resolution of the Kashmir issue as per the wishes of the people of Jammu and Kashmir".
She claimed political leaders in the state are being forced to contest elections only on the issue of restoration of statehood, and asked to keep quiet about Article 370 and bifurcation of the state.
"It is clear that participation in any political activity in Kashmir requires a compromise, she claimed.
Rashid said the government keeps inviting the youth to join the mainstream but alleged its actions have only served to push people out of the mainstream.
The former JNU Students Union leader's announcement of quitting mainstream politics came on the day the Congress party said it would not contest the Block Development Council polls.
Rashid was a prominent face of the student movement in 2016 after the arrest of JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar in connection with an event on JNU campus against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Paper leak mafia thriving under BJP's double-engine governments: Bhagwant Mann
Shimla (PTI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday slammed the Centre over the alleged NEET paper leak and said that such incidents are surfacing in regions governed by the BJP's 'double-engine' and 'triple-engine' governments.
He said the leak and cancellation of the National Eligibility cum Entrance test (NEET) 2026 examination is a major failure on the part of the Union government.
"This is not the first time that a paper leak has happened. Such incidents have surfaced in 2017, 2021, 2024, and now even in 2026 and every time, a CBI inquiry is initiated, arrests are made, yet after a short while, the accused are released on bail," he said.
Mann, who arrived at the Dharamshala Cricket Stadium to boost the morale of the Punjab Kings team ahead of their upcoming IPL match, told the media that lakhs of students toil day and night, harbouring dreams of transforming their families' fortunes, but when exams are cancelled due to paper leaks, these students are left heartbroken.
The NEET 2026 paper held on May 3 was cancelled on May 12 after reports of a paper leak in Rajasthan.
He said that the paper leak mafia is predominantly surfacing in regions governed by the BJP's 'double-engine' and 'triple-engine' governments. "Paper leaked, dreams shattered, the country's administrative system is unable to conduct even a single examination properly", he added.
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mann said that while Modi imposes various restrictions on the public, he himself continues to embark on foreign tours.
He asserted that the public deserves to know the country's true economic situation.
"The prime minister must disclose the current status of the country's oil reserves, the extent of our gold reserves, and fundamentally why restrictions are being imposed on every single commodity", he said.
No other nation has imposed such restrictions and the ongoing war is being used as a pretext, even though the country's economy is already in a precarious state, Mann added.
Regarding the ongoing campaign against drugs in Punjab, Mann said that the state government is continuously taking action against drug traffickers and asserted that a large number of traffickers are being sent to jail and that Punjab will soon move towards becoming drug-free.
Speaking about the upcoming IPL match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians to be held in Dharamshala, Mann said that he also holds the portfolio of Punjab's sports minister and has arrived in Dharamshala to cheer the team.
