AAP Disassociates Itself from Incident Involving Jibran Dar, Asserts it was a Personal Visit
Suhail Khan
Ganderbal, Jan 22: Tensions ran high on Sunday during the final ceremony of a cricket match in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district after a heated argument between District Development Council (DDC) member Mohamad Ashraf and AAP leader Jibran Dar turned physical.
The incident, as per The Kashmir Despatch Correspondent, caught on video, which was widely shared on social media within no time, has sparked outrage and demands for justice.
The video, also accessed by The Kashmir Despatch, shows a verbal exchange escalating to a physical altercation between Dar and Ashraf. The argument stemmed from allegations that Dar was trying to influence the youth to vote for his party.
In his defense, Dar stated that he had the right to engage with the public as they were eligible voters. However, Ashraf insisted that political discussions should be kept separate from sports and accused Dar of exploiting a police-organized event for personal gain.
As tensions heightened, Ashraf got up from his seat and slapped Dar, calling him a “nonsense man” incapable of proper communication.
Dar promptly called for Ashraf’s arrest, highlighting that the incident had been captured on camera and could serve as evidence.
The public has strongly criticized the incident, condemning the use of violence in political conflicts.
Meanwhile, the AAP party has distanced itself from the incident, stating that it was Jibran Dar’s personal visit.
In a statement issued by the Aam Aadmi Party’s Jammu and Kashmir office, of which a copy lies with Kashmir Despatch reads, it was clarified that the incident had no connection to the party as it was not an officially scheduled visit. They requested the media refrain from associating the Aam Aadmi Party’s name with the incident and conveyed the same request to the concerned police authorities.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.