_resources1_16a30b37e0c_medium.jpg)
New Delhi: Kashmiri political activist Sajad Noorabadi, who had earlier filed nomination for Anantnag bypoll against then Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister (CM) Mehbooba Mufti, will now challenge Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in his constituency Varanasi in the upcoming national polls.
Noorabadi, 30, hails from tense Kulgam district of south Kashmir. The district witnessed a sharp rise in militancy in the last decade. “I want to tell the people of this country that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made the life of Muslims and particularly Kashmiri Muslims hell. It was a mistake for people to have chosen him. That is why I want to challenge him in his turf this time,” Noorabadi told media.
Noorabadi founded ‘Tehreek-i-Insaaf’ party which is yet to be recognised by the Election Commission (EC). In the meantime, he is actively lobbying to obtain a ticket to fight against Modi in Uttar Pradesh’s (UP) Varanasi.
“I have spoken to some national and regional political parties to procure a ticket for myself. I am quite hopeful that they will give me a ticket to fight the election. I will try my best to win against Modi,” he said.
I have spoken to some national and regional political parties to procure a ticket for myself. I will try my best to win against Modi.
In case no party gave him a ticket, Noorabadi would still fight as an independent candidate.
In 2017, Noorabadi had filed his nomination to contest the Anantnag by-election against CM Mufti but the election was eventually cancelled.
The Anantnag Parliamentary seat was vacated by Mufti in June, 2016 after she was appointed CM in April, 2016. The seat has been vacant since then. The EC attempted conducting bypolls in Anantnag on three occasions but failed as the region was violence-stricken.
Keeping in mind the violent clashes that had broken out during Srinagar bypolls which had left eight dead, and a record-low voter turnout of seven per cent, the EC had announced that the situation in Anantnag was not conducive to conduct polls.
During 2014 national elections, Noorabadi had called for a boycott of general elections. He was also arrested for running an anti-election campaign.
“In 2014, I had appealed to people not to vote and boycott elections. I was taken into police custody for around 15 days for running an anti-election campaign. However, I was not wrong and stand by what I did at that time,” he said.
After entering electoral politics, Noorabadi aims to raise the voice of Kashmiris and urge the union government to solve the Kashmir issue once and for all.
“I believe that Kashmir is a political dispute which must be solved through dialogue. There is a lot of unrest there. I want the government to hear our voice and initiate constructive dialogue with relevant stakeholders,” he stated.
Supporting the separatists in the Kashmir Valley, Noorabadi said their voice was being muzzled by the successive state and union governments.
“The government puts restrictions on separatists, on social and political activists, on basically everyone in Kashmir. You can’t talk about anything openly there. You have to remain silent else you are persecuted,” he said.
Significantly, Noorabadi has only been once to Varanasi but he is hopeful that local people would accept him and vote for him.
“As a student long ago, I had gone to Varanasi for a tour with my friends. I know very little about the city but my intentions are genuine. I want to tell people that Kashmiris are not aliens and they should not be treated as terrorists,” he said.
