Impressed by Mehbooba's stand, Kathua activist Talib Hussain joins PDP

Tribal and Bakerwal rights activist Choudhary Talib Hussain, who shot to prominence after his campaign for justice for the Kathua rape victim, joined the PDP on Monday in Srinagar.

Hussain, along with lawyer Deepika Singh Rajawat, had emerged as the face of the campaign for justice to the eight-year-old girl.

Hussain was later accused of sexual harassment by a woman relative. A student at the JNU had also accused him of sexual assault in 2018 during the #MeToo movement. Hussain is currently out on the bail. 

''I was approached by several parties. But finally, I decided to join the PDP because of (PDP chief and former chief minister) Mehbooba Mufti's stand on Kathua rape and murder and forest land rights for Bakerwals,'' Hussian told THE WEEK.

''I will be the party's candidate for Inderwal constituency in assembly elections,'' he said.

Hussain said he would campaign for the party wherever needed.

Mehbooba said she was happy to welcome the well-known tribal rights activist to the party.

''He fought it tirelessly to ensure justice for the Kathua rape and murder victim at the cost of his personal safety,'' she said. “I am confident he will work tirelessly towards our vision of Khushal (happy) J&K.''

A lawyer by profession, Hussain has been actively leading a campaign for the rights of Bakerwals in Jammu.

His joining with the PDP is likely to create space for the party among the Bakerwals—the nomads who shift to Kashmir in summers to escape the sweltering heat in Jammu and return to Jammu in winters.