Crowd puller Sarjan Barkati’s family, students demand his release

Srinagar: The family of Sarjan Barkati Tuesday staged a protest demanding his immediate release from the prison. Barkati was arrested on October 1, 2016, after earning the sobriquet of “pied piper” during 2016 uprising, for his speeches and peculiar method of sloganeering that attracted large crowds.
The protest was held under the banner of ‘Fikr-o-Itiqaad’ led by Irfan Qadri. The family members including the little kids and his students participated in the peaceful protest. They were carrying placards and banners seeking release of Sarjan Barkati.
The protesters said more than 10 times the High Court quashed the detention of Sarjan Barkati but despite that he was not released. “We are his students. In Kashmir everyone demands freedom from India. If our teacher pitched for the same demand, why is he being targeted,” they said.
They said if Sarjan Barkati will not be release, her little daughters will took to roads and stage sit-in on daily basis. The protesters said that whole South Kashmir will observe shutdown on 18 September against the continuous detention of Sarjan Barkati.
Barkati’s daughter Sugra while appealing the authorities to release her father said that: her father’s detention has badly affected their life and education, and without him, they are living a distressed life.
While talking to reporters, Shabroza, the wife of Sarjan Barkati said that she is finding it difficult to make ends meet and manage things in Barkati’s absence.
“My parents are bearing the expenses of my children. People used to come here and help but how long will we be dependent on them,” Shabrooza, who lives in a two room house with his two children, said. Her sister is also living with them to offer support. “We have no land, only a two-room old house. My husband was not earning too much money but whatever he was earning we were living a happy life with that,” she said.
As per police dossier Prior to 2016 uprising in the Valley you have organized various religious congregations at many places in South Kashmir and delivered speeches on Jehad to provoke the people especially the youth against the Indian Territory,” deputy commissioner Shopian had said in a dossier against him ordering a PSA.
“You also told the people that India has occupied the J&K State forcible as such it is obligatory for every Kashmiri Muslim to join the so-called Jihad and fight against the Indian forces for complete freedom of J&K State,” the dossier reads.