A handful of activists allegedly belonging to a right-wing organisation blackened the face of independent MLA of J&K Assembly Sheikh Abdul Rashid using paint, ink and mobil oil protesting his hosting a beef party in Srinagar earlier this month.
Popularly known as ‘Engineer Rashid’, he was holding a press conference at Press Club in Delhi along with relatives of the two truck drivers who were burnt by a mob at Udhampur in Jammu region on 9th October. One of the victims — 19-year-old Zahid — died at Safdarjung Hospital on Sunday morning.
As he finished his press conference, he was held at the gate of the Press Club by some TV journalists for a one-to-one interview when some activists shouting slogans “gow mata ka apman, nahi sahega Hindustan (India will not tolerate any disrespect to cow)“ pounced on him and painted him with black colour, mobil oil and blue ink.
Some TV journalists as well as policemen also received colours on their faces as well as clothes while trying to save the MLA from the mob.
Two people were detained by the police and whisked away to Parliament Street Police station while Rashid had to take refuge inside the Press Club till additional force came in.
They are mentally sick. I want the whole world to see this how these people are trying to muzzle the voice of Kashmiris.
— Engineer Rashid
The independent MLA was also beaten by BJP MLAs in the state assembly for hosting the beef party.
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