In first political show of strength since 1987, Jamaat-backed candidates take out election rally in J&K

“There is a vacuum, a vacuum created by the regional political parties, which needs to be filled,” said Reshi, a Jamaat-backed independent candidate from Kulgam, during the rally at Bogam village of South Kashmir’s Kulgam. He is up against M Y Tarigami, a Communist leader and a consensus candidate of NC-Congress combine, and the PDP’s Mohammad Amin Dar.

While the Jamaat-backed candidates have been holding low-key door-to-door campaigns for the last several weeks, Sunday’s event was their first public rally ever since they announced their decision to contest polls.

The Jamaat’s decision has earned it the criticism of its arch-rival NC and also from within the organisation, especially its grassroot workers.

“Fingers will be pointed at us, we will be criticised. But what we see (today) is the reality. Our strength is the sea of people,” Reshi said.

With an eight-member panel of Jamaat engaging with the Centre to seek lifting the ban on the socio-religious political party, Reshi reiterated that the party’s doors are open for a pre-poll or post-poll alliance. “We will support any party that would work to restore the dignity of the people.”

Jamaat’s biggest criticism has been that the outfit spearheaded the militancy in J&K. At the outset of militancy, the Valley’s largest indigenous militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen called itself the armed wing of Jamaat. Jamaat’s panel, however, says while they were never officially into militancy, they announced their dissociation from any kind of violence in 1997 when its chief Ghulam Mohammad Bhat said the outfit does not have any military wing.

“We will support the Constitution of India. But if there is suppression, we will call it suppression. We will also plead for peace and tranquillity,” Reshi said.

During his address at the rally, Mir said, “We will not promote corruption and work transparently. We will talk about Kashmir and Kashmiris. We will represent the aspirations of the people in the Assembly.”