J&K: Centre Bans Jamaat-E-Islami For Five Yrs Under Anti-Terror Law

On February 28, the Indian government banned the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir for five years. The outfit was banned under the anti-terror law, saying that it was in close touch with the militant outfits which is expected to escalate the “secessionist movement” in the state.

Group banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act

The notification banning the group was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by PM Modi on security, as reported by India Today. The Centre said that it is of an opinion that the Jamat-e-Islami was supporting extremism and militancy in the state. The government said that if the group’s activists were not put under control immediately, it would “escalate its subversive activities including the attempt to carve out an Islamic State out of the territory of Union of India”, as reported by Scroll.

This announcement comes on the heels of the reported arrest of over 100 cadres of the group on an allegation of its involvement in activities to threaten the integrity of India. While the Police said that detaining separatist leaders was a routine, this was alleged to be a first major crackdown on Jamaat-e-Islami.

Jamaat-e-Islami

Jamaat-e-Islami is a socio-religious political organisation operating in Jammu and Kashmir. It was founded in 1953 when the Kashmir branch broke away from Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. Between 1965 and 1987, the organisation fought in both the Assembly and Parliamentary elections. In fact, in the 1970s and 1980s, Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani won the elections as a candidate of Jamaat-e-Islami from Sopore.

The outfit was banned first in 1975 by the Indian government. In 1989, during the onset of militancy, the outfit got actively engaged with separatist politics. Jamaat-e-Islami was widely alleged to be the ideological parent group of the Hizbul Mujahideen, the pro-Pakistan militant group. In 1997, Jamaat distanced itself from Hizbul Mujahideen. In 1990, soon after the outbreak of militancy, the organisation was banned for the second time. It was accused of encouraging unlawful activities. With the ban on February 28, the organisation gets banned for the third time.

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