In an unexpected turn of events, a young man from the Mawer Langate area of Kupwara district undertook a journey on foot to Beerwah, Budgam, seeking to mend fences after an alleged incident of misbehavior involving Engineer Rashid’s family towards the daughter of Sarjan Barkati.
Sarjan Barkati, a prominent separatist leader currently imprisoned, is set to contest the upcoming assembly elections from the Ganderbal and Beerwah constituencies. His son and daughter are actively campaigning in these constituencies.
The incident began when Barkati’s daughter, Sugra Barkati, visited Engineer Rashid’s residence in Langate to seek support, as she reportedly planned to file a nomination from the Langate constituency as well. Reports suggest that the visit did not proceed smoothly, with allegations of misbehavior emerging against Rashid’s family.
In a bid to bridge the gap, a youth named Raja Ishaq from Mawer Langate decided to walk to Beerwah to deliver a personal apology.
Holding a poster that read “We are sorry,” he said that Barkati’s daughter had been mistreated during her visit to Rashid’s house in Mawer.
Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Engineer Rashid, a member of the Lok Sabha from Baramulla parliamentary constituency and the head of the Awami Ittehad Party, has been actively involved in the electoral race, fielding candidates across several constituencies.
The tensions arising from this incident highlight the ongoing friction and intense local dynamics in Kashmir’s political landscape, where personal and political disputes frequently intersect.
Notably, Rashid was allowed to campaign for the assembly elections after being released on September 11 on interim bail for 22 days.
As political campaigns intensify, allegations between political leaders have also increased. Rashid faces accusations of being a proxy for Prime Minister Modi’s BJP. His bail timing has raised questions about his links with the central government.
Rashid is campaigning for the assembly elections by sharing his experiences from Tihar Jail. After his release, he quickly started speaking against Modi and the BJP, highlighting the struggles faced by separatist leaders, including their inability to attend the funerals of loved ones.
Rashid’s anti-Modi rhetoric was met with a strong response from Ram Madhav, who labeled him a “rank separatist.”
However, some social media users interpreted Madhav’s reaction as a tactical move by the BJP to boost Rashid’s emotional appeal and secure votes in Kashmir.
“I came from Langate to send a message across Kashmir that votes are being sought through emotional drama to create vote division,” alleged Ishaq, who traveled on foot from Langate.