SRINAGAR: Member of Parliament from Baramulla, Engineer Rashid, on Tuesday announced in the Lok Sabha that he would donate his one month’s salary for the reconstruction of a school in Iran where more than 100 children were killed in a recent strike.
Speaking during the discussion on Finance Grants, Rashid made a humanitarian appeal, asserting that humanity must rise above political boundaries when innocent lives are lost. He said his contribution, though modest, reflected a shared responsibility towards affected families.
He also highlighted the response in Kashmir, noting that people had come forward in large numbers to support victims by contributing whatever they could. He urged the Government of India to adopt a compassionate and balanced approach in global affairs.
During his address, Rashid raised concerns over the Indus Waters Treaty, stating that Jammu and Kashmir has incurred losses due to restrictions under the agreement. He called for a special compensation package, particularly for regions with untapped hydropower potential.
The MP further expressed concern over reported attempts to sideline or target historical figures such as Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Allama Iqbal and Muhammad Ali Jinnah from public discourse, describing such actions as unjust and cautioning against any rewriting of history.
Rashid also called for the establishment of a high-level national commission to investigate alleged disproportionate wealth accumulated over the past three decades by politicians, bureaucrats, police officials and sections of the media. He said recovery of such assets could significantly reduce inequality and benefit the public.
He raised the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility, urging major corporations to ensure that funds reach underserved and backward regions, including parts of Baramulla. He said targeted interventions in infrastructure, education and connectivity could transform remote and border areas.
The MP also reiterated the demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and called for focused development in backward regions.
Earlier, Budgam MLA Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi donated his one month’s salary to support humanitarian relief efforts for Iran amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia. The contribution is aimed at providing aid and demonstrating solidarity with the people of Iran.
The school strike in Iran, which triggered global condemnation, occurred on February twenty-eight during a United States–Israel military campaign, resulting in the deaths of a large number of civilians, most of them schoolchildren.
