JAMMU, April 29 -- AAP MLA Mehraj MaliK, who walked free after seven months and 20 days of incarceration in Kathua jail on Tuesday morning, said that "the space for the common man in politics has shrunk" and that "not him, but the authorities imprisoned aspirations of the people". He urged the youth to come forward and join politics, if they wanted to bring a change. Malik also called on the educated sections of the society to contribute their bit to public life. "When the common man tries to enter politics and work for the welfare of the people, he is often sidelined or labelled. This mindset needs to change," he told reporters here. He alleged that political space has shrunk for the common man."It has become difficult to speak openly, but without political engagement, no real change is possible," he said. Upon his release, Malik told reporters at Samba, that his imprisonment was a "matter of time" and claimed that scores of others remain behind bars for similar reasons. On the current political climate, he said: "Speaking against the BJP in India has become as difficult as the BJP speaking against the United States." AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal also weighed in on the release, escalating the rhetoric by accusing the Prime Minister of targeting opposition leaders with false allegations while failing to show similar strength on the international stage. "Our struggle will continue. It is not a struggle based on politics but on thoughts and a zest for people's welfare," said Malik. "I went to jail for the rights of the people. It was for the people and this struggle will continue. I will continue to raise the voice of the people," he added. The lone AAP MLA in J&K extended an invite to the youth to come forward and join politics for bringing about a positive change. "I am alone right now. I want youth to join politics. Only politics can change the fate of the people and this country," he asserted.Malik said he has always been committed to serving the people. On his imprisonment he claimed that cases were filed against him to divert attention and hinder his reform efforts. "We did not join politics to fight legal cases but to bring change. Ironically, being embroiled in such cases has become part of the system," he said.He said that he would soon resume public outreach programmes in consultation with his team. He, however, took pot-shots at LG's anti-drug rallies, saying, "the real issue affecting the youth is unemployment". His release came a day after justice Mohammad Yousuf Wani of the Jammu and Kashmir high court quashed his detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA), declaring the order illegal. Malik had been held since September 8 last year on allegations of disturbing public order, a move chief minister Omar Abdullah described as a "gross misuse of law."...