Shehla Rashid announces decision to quit electoral politics, opposes BDC polls in JK

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 ...