Accusations fly, papers torn during nomination filing in Handwara, Langate

Handwara, Sept 12: On the last day for filing nomination papers, Handwara and Langate constituencies in north Kashmir witnessed a series of heated exchanges, power shows and unexpected events.
Key political figures, including People’s Conference president Sajad Lone, Jammu and Kashmir Workers Party chairman Mir Junaid and Bashir Ahmad Qureshi (Independent candidate), made their moves ahead of the elections.
In a shocking twist, Sharjan Barkati’s daughter tore her father’s nomination papers, accusing Awami Ittehad Party president Er Rashid’s family of mistreatment.
Sajad Lone, before submitting his nomination papers for the Handwara constituency, held a massive rally accompanied by hundreds of party workers as he made his way to the Returning Officer’s office. After filing his papers, Lone addressed the media, saying the release of Er Rashid was not his decision. He said many others were also being released.
The PC chief accused National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah of labelling anyone who opposes him as a BJP agent. “Time will come when I will expose them all,” he said.
Mir Junaid also filed his nomination papers in the Langate assembly constituency. During his speech, he criticised Er Rashid, alleging “He (Er Rashid) is an agent of the BJP and RSS, released for a specific task in Kashmir.”
Junaid claimed that Rashid made a deal with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. He accused Rashid of changing his stance, saying that before 2019, the AIP chief spoke only of a plebiscite and resolving the Kashmir issue. “After his release from jail, Rashid now claims to fight to restore Articles 370 and 35-A, which were never part of his original manifesto,” he said.
Junaid also criticised Er Rashid for promoting family politics in Kashmir, saying that Rashid’s brother left his job to contest the election and that his two sons are active in politics.
Meanwhile, Sajad Lone also submitted his nomination papers in Kupwara. He raised slogans against Prime Minister Modi, shouting, “Modi ka jo yaar hai, gadaar hai, gadaar hai, Whoever is Modi’s friend is a traitor!” He asserted that while they were once labelled as Modi’s close associates, the world now knows who Modi and the BJP’s real friends are.
Bashir Ahmad Qureshi, an independent candidate from the Langate constituency, also filed his nomination papers and raised concerns about the release of Er Rashid at this critical time. He urged voters to support him, promising to improve the education system, health facilities and basic amenities in the constituency if elected.
In a surprising turn of events, the daughter of Sarjan Barkati reached the Returning Officer’s office in Langate and tore her father’s nomination papers at the office gate. She claimed that she had come to seek Er Rashid’s support for her father’s release from jail but was mistreated by his family members.
She further alleged that while Rashid’s son had sought votes for his father’s release, she was now seeking their support for her father, who is also in jail but has received no response. “My family members are in jail, my minor siblings are at home, and they are suffering,” she said.