Srinagar, Oct 15: The Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) has questioned what it described as unequal treatment of political dissent, contrasting the five-day judicial custody of CJP leaders Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das with the prolonged incarceration of Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
AIP Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi said the contrasting cases raised questions about proportionality, equal justice and the treatment of dissent, pointing out that Rashid was entering the eighth year of his imprisonment.
Un Nabi said Rashid had not been accused in his UAPA case of trespassing at a protest site, violating peace-bond conditions or obstructing public servants. He also questioned whether verified evidence linked Rashid to the financial losses allegedly associated with the Delhi protests.
While clarifying that the party did not question the rights of the CJP leaders, Un Nabi asked why the urgency shown in their case had not translated into comparable relief for Rashid.
He also questioned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s political priorities, asking why Rashid’s prolonged incarceration had not prompted sustained political intervention.
“The Supreme Court can convene on a Sunday when a matter demands urgency. Why has comparable urgency not been demonstrated in the case of Engineer Rashid, an elected MP entering his eighth year in jail?” Un Nabi asked.
He said prolonged incarceration should not become punishment before conviction and called for equal treatment under the law, regardless of a person’s region or political background.
“One Constitution cannot mean two standards,” he said.
