During the scrutiny of nomination papers for the first phase of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the papers of 35 candidates, including jailed separatist Sarjan Barkati, were rejected on Wednesday. The scrutiny process, which took place in the offices of the respective returning officers, covered 24 assembly constituencies across all seven districts. This information was confirmed in a statement issued by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer. Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party's chief Mehbooba Mufti has reacted to the cancellation of Barkati's nomination, asking the Election Commissioner to make the reasons public for this decision.
"Sorry to hear about the rejection of assembly nomination form of Sarjan Barkati from Zainpora. The Election Commissioner must make the reasons public for this decision. Democracy is a battle of ideas and everyone should be given a chance to participate in it," Mufti wrote on X.
Who is Sarjan Barkati?
Sarjan Ahmad Wagay, widely known as Sarjan Barkati and recognised as a key figure in the 2016 protests in Kashmir, had entered the political arena by filing his nomination papers for the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. On August 27, his daughter, Sugra Barkati had submitted the nomination papers on his behalf, urging the people of the constituency to support her father by voting for him in large numbers.
How Barkati came to prominence?
Sarjan Barkati gained prominence following the 2016 killing of Burhan Wani, a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander, which sparked widespread protests across Kashmir lasting over three months. Barkati became a notable figure during this period due to his distinctive style of sloganeering, which quickly went viral, earning him the nickname 'Azadi Chacha' among the youth he inspired during the unrest. The months of turmoil saw numerous deaths during clashes, leading to a curfew being imposed across all 10 districts of the valley.
Why is Barkati lodged in jail?
Before rising to prominence during the 2016 protests, Barkati was associated with Ummat-e-Islami, a socio-religious organisation. He was first arrested in October 2016 and remained in custody until his release in October 2020. However, in August 2023, he was arrested again, this time in connection with a terror-funding case. The State Investigation Agency (SIA), which detained him, alleged that Barkati was involved in orchestrating a large-scale crowd-funding campaign that generated funds amounting to crores. Following his arrest, Barkati's wife was also taken into custody.
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