Jailed Sarjan Barkati’s family, relatives protest against rejection of nomination papers

SRINAGAR — The family members and relatives of Sarjan Ahmad Wagay alias Barkati on Friday staged a protest against the rejection of his nomination papers.

As per the details available with the news agency KNO, family members and relatives of Sarjan Barkati staged a protest outside the DC Office Shopian and demanded that he should be allowed to enter the mainstream.

Talking to reporters, Sugra Barkati, daughter of Sarjan Barkati, said that on the day of filing of nomination papers, they were informed that his documents were complete and his fresh signatures were required on some documents.

She said that the other day they came with the signature on the document and then unnecessarily asked them to go here and there. Later, they came to know his form was rejected.

Officials should have informed them that the papers were incomplete and they would have completed the rest of the formalities in time, she said, adding that his form was rejected without any reason.

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She further added that if the form of Engineer Rashid was accepted from Tihar Jail, then why the form of his father wasn’t accepted from Srinagar. “They used to tell him that he (Sarjan) is a terrorist and has been misleading youth, and now if he wants to come into the mainstream, why is he being stopped from doing so?” she asked.

The protest was later joined by independent candidate Advocate Shabir Ahmad Kullay who on the occasion said that even terrorists can fight elections until sentenced. “Fighting elections is everyone’s right,” he said while alleging that Sarjan’s form was rejected at the behest of some traditional political parties, who don’t want their shops to get closed.

Notably, family members of Sarjan Barkati from Reban Zainapora, Shopian, who is in jail along with his wife in an alleged terror funding-related case, had filled his candidature form from Zainapora constituency.

The Jammu and Kashmir election authorities had said Barkati’s nomination was rejected as he did not submit an oath certificate signed by Superintendent of Central Jail, Srinagar.