Pro-Freedom Leader Sarjan Barkati’s Nomination Rejected as Indian State Suppresses Kashmiri Voices

On August 28th, the candidature of Sarjan Ahmad Barkati, a well-known Kashmiri religious preacher and pro-freedom activist, was rejected by the authorities in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections.

Barkati, currently imprisoned due to his participation in Kashmiri self-determination struggle, had filed his nomination papers for the first phase of elections, but the State Election Commission has disqualified his candidacy.

Barkati, who gained widespread popularity for his unique style of peaceful pro-freedom rallies, is often referred to as “Azadi Chacha” (Uncle Freedom) and “the Pied Piper of South Kashmir.” Barkati was first arrested in 2016, spending over four years in detention before his release in 2020. However, he was re-arrested in September 2022 and has remained in arbitrary detention since then.

The rejection of Barkati’s nomination is seen as part of the Indian state’s broader strategy to suppress pro-freedom voices in Kashmir. Despite his peaceful activism, Barkati and his family have faced relentless state repression. His wife, Shabroza Bano, was also arrested in November 2023 under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), leaving their children without both parents.

The candidacy of Abdul Bari Naik was also rejected. Naik is a Kashmiri social activist who is famous for exposing corruption in the Indian government as well as encroachment of Kashmiri village land by the Indian Army.

The first phase of the assembly elections, set to take place on September 18. Barkati’s exclusion from the electoral process underscores the ongoing Indian crackdown on Kashmiri leaders advocating for self-determination and dissidents.