J-K Assembly elections 2024: As Tuesday was the last date for filing nominations for the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, several former members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir filed their nomination papers to contest the Assembly polls in the Union Territory as independent candidates.
Despite the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir by the Union home ministry, which prevents the organization from participating in elections, there had been interest from the group in taking part during the Lok Sabha elections if the ban were lifted.
Jamaat has not taken part in any elections after 1987 and had been a part of the separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference, which advocated for poll boycotts, from 1993 to 2003.
3 members of Jamaat-e-Islami to contest election
Sugra Barkati, the daughter of jailed separatist leader Sarjan Barkati, filed nomination papers on behalf of her father. He is in jail on terror charges.
Barkati, who shot to prominence during the turmoil which erupted following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in 2016, will be contesting from the Shopian district.
Talat Majeed, former ameer (chief) of Jamaat, filed his nomination papers from Pulwama constituency as an independent candidate. Majeed said that after pondering over the changing geo-political scenario since 2008, he felt the need to shun some of the past "rigidities".
"In view of the prevalent geo-political scenario, I felt that time had come for us to take part in the political process. I have been expressing my views since 2014 very openly and I am taking that agenda forward even today," he said.
Majeed said organisations like Jamaat and Hurriyat Conference have a role to play in the current political scenario. "We cannot ignore the situation globally when we talk about the situation in Kashmir. As Kashmiris, we should live in the present and look towards a (better) future," he added.
Sayar Ahmad Reshi, another former Jamaat-e-Islami leader, is running for the Kulgam Assembly seat as an independent candidate. He urged voters to cast their ballots based on their own judgment and conscience.
"It is up to Allah to bless or disgrace a person... but I will appeal to people to vote as per their conscience," he said, adding "we will launch a historic movement for reforms".
Reshi, while admitting that the youth have been weaned away from violence by introducing them to sports, said the youngsters need jobs. "There is no doubt that the youth have been given bats but it will not fill their stomach. There is unemployment and killings are going on. Elderly people have to run from pillar to post just for a meagre old age pension of Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000. We will work for social justice," he added.
J-K Assembly Elections 2024
Polling to elect 90 members of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly will take place in three phases. The elections will be held on September 18, September 25 and October 1. The results of the polls will be announced on October 4. It will be the first election in the valley since provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution were abrogated and the erstwhile state divided into two Union Territories in 2019.
(With PTI inputs)
Also Read: Omar Abdullah to contest from Ganderbal in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections
