Who is Sarjan Barkati? Jailed Cleric Who Orchestrated Protests Over Burhan Wani Killing To Challenge Omar Abdullah In Kashmir Polls
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections 2024: Sarjan Ahmad Wagay, a hardline cleric who is currently in jail for his alleged role in instigating violent protests during the 2016 unrest in Kashmir valley following the killing of self-proclaimed Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, will contest the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls against former chief minister Omar Abdullah from the Ganderbal constituency.
Wagay, popularly known as Sarjan Barkati, on Thursday filed his nomination papers from the Ganderbal and Beerwah constituencies, days after his candidature was rejected from the Zainpora Assembly constituency in Shopian as his papers did not include the certificate of oath that was to be duly signed by the jail authorities.
Barkati’s nomination papers were filed by his representatives on Thursday after acquiring the necessary legal permissions, officials said.
Barkati to contest against Omar Abdullah
The separatist cleric is now poised to contest the upcoming Assembly elections against National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah in Ganderbal, and incidentally also from Beerwah, which was previously represented by Omar in the last Assembly of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Thursday was the last date for filing nominations for the second phase of polling. The scrutiny of the papers is scheduled to take place on Friday.
The 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is scheduled to go to polls in three phases on September 18, September 25 and October 1, and the counting of votes will be taken up on October 8.
Who is Sarjan Barkati?
Sarjan Barkati is a hardline cleric from south Kashmir who is currently lodged in jail for his alleged role in orchestrating violent protests in Shopian and Kulgam districts during the 2016 Kashmir unrest triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen poster-boy Burhan Wani.
He was first arrested in in 2016 and booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA). Barkati was arrested again last year is facing charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
According to the chargesheet filed against him in a court earlier this year, Barkati — an active ideologue, promoter and supporter of the terrorist-secessionist nexus — hatched a criminal conspiracy with others, including his family members, to facilitate, aid, incite, advise, advocate and promote terrorist and secessionist ideologies and activities through his inflammatory speeches.
“Through such audio-video inflammatory speeches, he has incited, instigated and provoked youth to join the terrorist ranks,” the chargesheet reads.
(With PTI inputs)
