Jailed Barkati’s teenaged daughter strikes chord in Beerwah
Sugra Barkati, 17, the daughter of jailed separatist and cleric Sarjan Ahmad Wagay, alias Sarjan Barkati, travels from village to village along with her 11-year-old brother, campaigns for their father, makes emotional connect in people’s court.
Barely 17, she climbs the stage or a stationary vehicle and delivers an emotional and impromptu speech, catching the attention of the gathering with the tearful lament about her jailed parents.
Sugra Barkati, the daughter of jailed separatist and popular cleric Sarjan Ahmad Wagay, alias Sarjan Barkati, travels from village to village along with her 11-year-old brother, seeking votes for their father, who is contesting from Beerwah and Ganderbal assembly segments that go to the polls on Wednesday in the second phase of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
Barkati was arrested on October 1, 2016, under the Public Safety Act after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. He had led protests against the killing and was jailed for illegal fund-raising to allegedly propagate radicalism. His wife was also put behind bars in connection with the case. He was released in October 2020 and was again arrested in August 2023 by the state investigation agency.
Sugra and her brother have restricted their campaign to central Kashmir’s Beerwah seat, where Barkati could emerge as a dark horse as the teenager has been able to draw crowds, including youngsters and women who shower her with candies, flower petals and garlands.
Rivals rattled
She speaks chaste Urdu and peppers her speeches with emotional poetry that have rattled her father’s two rival candidates, Nazir Ahmad Khan, the son of former minister Sarfaraz Khan, and Dr Shafi Ahmad Bhat, the National Conference candidate.
Khan, whose father has represented the constituency twice, has been targeting the girl and has questioned who is funding her. “She engages in a drama. If she is poor, just ask her where she is getting the money from,” said Khan, who is also the chairman of the Budgam District Development Council (DDC).
Khan’s outburst reflects his nervousness as the teenaged girl’s campaign has generated a wave of sympathy for her father akin to the campaign of Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid’s success. His campaign was also run by his two young sons in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections that led to the defeat to two heavyweights, Omar Abdullah and Sajjad Lone.
Emotional note
“I’m just an orphan. Both my parents are in jail. I want to get them out. So please vote for my father,” says Sugra.
A supporter, who has travelled from Khansahib to Beerwah to seek votes for Barkati, says, “A leader who feels threatened with our campaign questions who gives her money. My answer is not only money, but we can also give our blood to her.”
Sugra shares her struggles with the legal system. “Many leaders question me for leading the campaign saying that I should have gone to court for my parents’ release. I want to tell you, I have gone to every court but didn’t get justice. Now I have come to the people’s court,” she says.
Sugra goes on to share how she lives alone along with her brother, who is a student. “I had no option. Since I don’t have an older brother, I started the campaign for my father. We are doing all this to get our parents released. It’s the power of your vote that can free my parents.”
A former legislator from Zainapora, Shopian, has come out in support of Sugra. “It’s shocking to see Nazir Khan stoop so low. Sugra is our daughter, and the language used against her is not only hurtful but also unacceptable. Such behaviour is unbecoming and cannot be tolerated,” Ajaz Mir, a former PDP MLA, posted on X.
Barkati belongs to Shopian and his nomination form from Zainapora assembly segment was rejected.
Emerging as dark horse
With 12 candidates in fray, the triangular fight is between the Awami Ittehad Party, National Conference and Independent candidate Barkati with local experts saying the latter could emerge as a dark horse.
“The entry of Barkati’s children has reshaped the election process. There is strong sympathy vote for him, especially the way his daughter is campaigning. Anything is possible here,” said Ghulam Rasool, a resident of Beerwah.
Last time, former chief minister Omar Abdullah had defeated Khan to win the seat. This time, Omar is contesting from Ganderbal and Budgam.