The face of 2016 protest in Kashmir and Muslim cleric Sarjan Ahmad Wagar, popularly known as Sarjan Barkati, has filed nomination papers from the Zainpora Assembly constituency in Shopian district of south Kashmir for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections 2024. On Tuesday, Barkati’s daughter Sugra Barkati filed nomination papers on behalf of her father while appealing to the people of the constituency to vote for him in large numbers.
“You all are aware how difficult times we have faced. When our father was arrested in 2019, our mother would take care of us but after her arrest, we have no one. My father has remained with the people of Kashmir and today I appeal and hope they will support him,” Sugra told media after filing nomination of her father.
Sarjan rose to fame after the killing of Burhan Wani, a terror commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit, in 2016, which triggered street protests, lasting for over three months. His unique style of sloganeering made him popular and his videos went viral. Barkati came to be known as ‘Azadi Chacha’ among the youth he galvanised during the months of unrest in the valley. The months had witnessed several deaths during clashes and curfew was imposed in all 10 districts of the valley.
This development has come in the backdrop of Abdul Rashid Sheikh, popularly as Engineer Rashid, winning the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat with a margin of 2,04,142 votes by defeating National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah. Rashid has been in Tihar jail under terror funding charges since 2019 and his campaign and nomination were similarly led by his two sons who sought vote for his release.
More Than 30 FIRs Against Barkati
Security agencies have blamed Sarjan Barkati for orchestrating large-scale protests, rallies, and clashes with security forces in 2016, for which more than 30 FIRs were registered against him in various police stations of the valley.
“My father needs you, we have a rally, come join us. My father will be happy to see his villagers in his support. I expect support from you and maybe my father will watch this,” Barkati’s daughter told a crowd gathered at her village before leaving to file nomination.
The State Investigation Agency arrested Barkati in August 2023 in Case FIR No 02/2023 of police station SIA. The agency said that the case pertains to Barkati’s involvement in orchestrating an extensive fund-raising campaign through crowd funding, resulting in the generation of funds amounting to crores.
“These funds were subsequently misused, involving money laundering and acquisition of undisclosed assets for propagation of radicalism within the Kashmir valley,” the SIA had said.
SIA Kashmir had alleged that Barkati managed to raise approximately Rs 1.74 crore through crowd funding campaigns. “These funds were ostensibly raised for personal gains and a significant portion of the collected funds was allegedly misused for undisclosed purposes, including possible financing of secessionist and terrorist activities,” SIA had said.
Later, the agency had arrested his wife Shabroza Bano, accusing her of being involved in terror financing by raising money through crowd funding while claiming that Bano had remained in constant contact with Pakistani handlers through encrypted messaging platforms.
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