New Delhi: On the eve of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary, incarcerated Baramulla Member of Parliament Er Abdul Rashid has written a heartfelt letter to the Father of the Nation, urging him to intervene symbolically against the rising tide of demonisation of Kashmiris and the erosion of non-violence as a guiding principle. The letter, dispatched from Tihar Jail through the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, has been made public by the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP).
In the letter, Er Rashid, who affectionately addresses Gandhi as “Bapu,” combines reverence with raw anguish. “Adab Bapu, please accept my best wishes on the eve of your birthday. Not only India but the entire world is in desperate need of peace,” the MP begins. He laments that while Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence is more relevant than ever, it has been reduced to rhetoric by states and institutions across the world. “Almost every country willingly or unwillingly contributes to violence, but makes ridiculous claims of fighting for peace. Those who speak most of your message, Bapu, hardly match their words with deeds,” he writes.
The MP draws on Gandhi’s historic role during the Partition of India. “When the subcontinent was burning in communal flames, Gandhi Ji saw Kashmir as a beacon of hope and harmony,” Rashid recalls. Linking that history to the present, he expresses pain that the very land once seen as a symbol of communal co-existence is today portrayed in negative light. “As of now, we Kashmiris are being branded anti-national, Pak proxies, communal, stone-pelters, anti-Hindu, militants, radicals, what not,” he writes, calling it a betrayal of Gandhi’s vision.
Er Rashid strongly reaffirms the dignity of faith. “Being Islamist is an honour for every Muslim and no true Muslim can ever be radical,” he notes, echoing Gandhi’s own insistence that religion and violence are fundamentally incompatible. For him, the deliberate misrepresentation of Kashmiri identity has caused immense suffering.
The letter also highlights what Rashid calls the misuse of draconian laws. “Those who speak against UAPA terrorism prefer silence as they are scared of the law of the land. Thousands lie in graves, men in prisons lose their lives and thousands of us are in jails because of the misdeeds of Partition, for which nobody takes responsibility,” he writes. According to him, the prolonged incarceration of Kashmiris is a direct outcome of unresolved historical wounds.
“Kashmiri Pandits, who by your own confession were protected by Kashmiri Muslims at the cost of their own lives, are still living as refugees. Men, women and children from border areas continue to live displaced lives near the LoC—second homes for those who cannot return,” he points out. By invoking Gandhi’s admission that Kashmiri Muslims once safeguarded their Pandit neighbours, Rashid attempts to remind the nation of the spirit of brotherhood that has been eclipsed by suspicion.
The MP as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust also condemns divisive politics that, in his words, have replaced Gandhi’s legacy with hostility. “Your vision of non-violence has been replaced by draconian policies. Instead of harmony, Muslims are branded outsiders, with terms like ‘Baber ki Aulad’ legitimizing hate,” he warns. Rashid argues that such narratives are eroding the very moral foundation on which Gandhi envisioned independent India.
The conclusion of the letter carries both symbolic and practical protest. “To remind the countrymen of the significance of your non-violence principle, I will observe two days hunger strike from 1st October 10 am to 3rd October 10 am in Tihar Jail,” Rashid declares, turning Gandhi’s own method of protest into his mode of remembrance.
Reacting to the letter, AIP Chief Spokesman Inam Un Nabi said every line written by Er Rashid serves as both tribute and warning. “When Gandhi Ji could see Kashmir as a beacon of hope amidst Partition, why is it today that Kashmiris are only seen through the lens of suspicion? The letter reminds the nation that Gandhi’s legacy lies not in rituals or garlands, but in justice, peace and reconciliation,” Nabi remarked. [KNT]
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