Srinagar: The family of Kashmir’s “pied piper” Sarjan Barkati on Tuesday appealed to the state government to release him on “humanitarian grounds” as the family’s survival had become difficult.
Shabroz, wife of Barkati, who had traveled to Press Enclave in Srinagar from her home in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, along with dozens of her relatives and neighbors, said they were facing hardships in the absence of her husband.
“We are facing huge hardships in his absence. We have no one to look after us in his absence. My children are not able to focus on their studies so they have stopped going to the school. I mostly remain busy in courts to seek bail for my husband,” she said during a demonstration at Press Enclave.
She appealed to the state government to release Barkati on the humanitarian ground so that family’s hardships and problems could end.
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.
His daughter Sughra Barkati said they were not able to concentrate on their studies because of the trauma as their father is languishing in jail from past two years.
“Our mother remains busy in seeking bail for our father in dozens on cases slapped on him one after another and it has been going on from past two years,” she said.
Sughra said the family is going to hold a sit-in in Kulgam on September 7.
“We have tolerated much. We too want to study and want to live a normal life like others. We appeal to the government to release our father,” she said.