Srinagar, Aug 31: The family members and relatives of Sarjan Ahmad Wagay @Barkati on Friday staged a protest against rejection of his nomination papers.
As per the details available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), family members and relatives of Sarjan Barkati staged a protest outside DC Office Shopian and demanded that he should be allowed to enter into 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 are complete and his fresh signatures are 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 the papers are incomplete and they would have completed the rest of the formalities in time, she said, adding that his form was rejected without any reason.
She further added that if the form of Engineer Rasheed was accepted from Tihar Jail then why the form of his father wasn’t accepted from Srinagar.
They used to tell him 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.
The protest was later joined by independent candidate Advocate Shabir Ahmad Kullay who on the occasion said that even terrorists can fight elections until he isn’t 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 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
