NVI Special Correspondent
Srinagar, Sep 21 (NVI): It was the first public speech of his life not for himself but for his desperate father and erstwhile J&K State’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Zamir Abdullah, the elder son of Omar Abdullah broke the shackles of staying silent and came out openly to garner support for his father from Ganderbal seat during a campaigning program last week.
“My great grandfather Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah started his political career from Ganderbal. This land has been very close to us. My great grandmother became Member parliament from this place and Sheikh Abdullah won thrice from this place,” Zamir said. He said his father Omar was also elected from Ganderbal in 2014.
Asked about how he finds the public support from the district, Zamir said there has been a great enthusiasm of people towards NC. “As far as campaigning, I have taken this responsibility on my shoulders. I am going door to door to explain the party’s agenda to the people of Ganderbal,” said Zamir while speaking to this correspondent.
He said since the past ten years, there has been no government. “Where would the people go? Employment is an issue. Drugs are also a big issue. We have promised one lakh jobs to the youth to tackle unemployment. Sheikh Abdullah introduced free education. Where youth would find chances of employment in future, only then they would study,” he said and sought votes for his father.
Omar, Zamir’s father, took people of Ganderbal by surprise as well in a rally last week by removing his skull camp to seek votes. Since he is not able to speak Kashmiri language properly, Omar chose to speak in Kashmiri, the video of which went viral on social media. The video, however, showed Omar’s desperateness to get votes from Ganderbal and to secure his win. This time, he is facing a strong contest from PDP’s Bashir Mir. While Zamir is busy in door to door campaigning for his father in Ganderbal, a daughter is also in the ground to seek support for her jailed father cleric Sarjan Barkati.
Sugra Barkati is vociferously campaigning for her father, who is behind the bars in connection with the terror funding case along with his wife. Sugra breaks down in almost every rally she has held so far. Her father is contesting from Beerwah in Budgam district and Ganderbal in Central Kashmir.
“I have not seen childhood. It is lost. My parents are in jail. Your vote can change everything and bring back my parents,” she told a rally in Beerwah. Sugra is being accompanied by her brother as well. She asks people to take a pledge that they would vote for her father. “Vote power can ensure my father’s release even if on bail,” she claims.
Plunging children into campaigning started in Kashmir during the Lok Sabha polls that were held in May-June this year. Abrar Rashid, the son of Er Rashid, campaigned for his father across North Kashmir and the results were shocking. Er Rashid despite being in Tihar jail defeated Omar Abdullah and Sajad Lone by over two lakh votes. (News Vibes of India)
