Condemning the ban on Jama’at-e-Islami (JeI) Jammu andKashmir, the Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani on Saturdaytermed it ‘unethical and undemocratic’ act by the government.
“Falsely blaming and banning a recognized party is in itselfis a blot on New Delhi,” Geelani said in a statement.
He said, “The coercive and arbitrary measures have beentried earlier also, when in 1975, India was engulfed in the black clouds ofemergency that time also the emergency was imported to the state. Jamaat-e-Islami was banned and thousands ofits leaders and workers were arrested.”
“Jama’at workers andits office bearers have been arrested, their property seized, their vehiclessnatched away and even their residences are being sealed, making their familieshomeless in their own homeland,” Geelaniadded.
The Hurriyat (G) chairman said, “New Delhi is following thefootsteps of its mentor Israel. Delhi is the biggest purchaser of Israeli armsand ammunition, being used in Kashmir.”
Meanwhile, Geelani also condoled the demise of the mother ofGhulam Qadir Bhat of Gushi, Kupwara, whois languishing in jail for last 15 years.
MUHAMMAD ASHRAF SEHRAI
Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) chairman Muhammad Ashraf Sehraitoday strongly condemned the authorities’ action to seal government recognisedschools run by Falah-E-Aam Trust (FAT) and house of several Jama’at-e-Islamiactivists.
In a statement Sehrai said that “the books and syllabiprescribed by the board of school education are taught in all FAT schools.”
“Authorities areundermining the democratic principles and values which they are claiming acrossthe world. This decision runs against the democratic spirit and values whichneeds immediate rethink and revocation.”
“Banning JeI, sealing its educational institutions and itsassets, the houses of its members and throwing their families out of theirhomes are inhuman and unethical acts which will further deteriorate thesituation,” Sehrai said.
MUTAHIDA MAJLISE ULEMA(MMU)
Mutahida Majlise Ulema(MMU) termed government’s decision to ban Jamaat-e-Islamifor five years as highly “undemocratic, and unconstitutional and revengeful.”
” JeI is a constituent ofMutahida Majlise Ulema . JeI hasbeen doing social and religious work for a long time as under its aegis, scoresof educational institutions are being run and banning the schools and otherinstitutions including orphanages will put the life source and career of thethousands of children and students at a stake. It is highly regrettable. Banimposed on JeI will also affect a large sections of poorer section of societyand destitutes . The ban imposed should revoked immediately,” a MMU spokesmansaid.
DEMOCRATIC FREEDOM PARTY
Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) expressedserious concern over the ban on Jama’at-e-Islami (JeI) and sealing of theresidential houses of many of its (JeI) members and activists.
“Banning of JeI is an act of arrogance and a sheer exampleof communalism at the hands of Indian government which is hell bent to create adangerous situation in the disputed region,” a DFP spokesman said.
KUTA CONDEMNS
Kashmir University Teachers Association (KUTA) has expressed serious concerns over the imminent closure of hundreds of schools being run by Jamat-e-Islami following government banning Jamaat-e-Islami in J&K.
“Closure of schools run by Jamaat will jeopardize theeducational career and future prospects of thousands of students enrolled inthese institutions besides rendering thousands of teachers jobless, a KUTAspokesman said in a statement.
He impressed upon the state and central governments to reconsider and revoke the ban imposed upon this international socio-religious organization that has nothing to do with insurgency in the state. “Ban imposed by the government and the sealing of even residential houses of Jamaat workers is unjustified and harsh step,” the spokesman added.
KUTA also condemned the “undue harassment of a seniorscientist of SKAUST-K Naseem Geelani just because he is the son of a separatistleader and has called for an immediate end to frequent raids and confiscationof his personal belongings.”
The spokesman said that KUTA fully endorses the statementissued by SKAUST-K Teachers Association in this regard.
NATIONAL FRONT
Terming the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami as highly condemnable andsealing the residential houses of many Jamaat activists as shocking, Jammu andKashmir National Front deputy chairman Altaf Hussain Wani in a statement saidthat political activities have now been openly banned. ” Jamaat-e-Islami isknown for its socio religious and humanitarian work across the region andbanning it is an utter example of imperialistic mindset of India. After banningthe Jamaat-e-Islami, police have started sealing of the residential houses ofits members which has created panic across the region. It’s a highlycondemnable.”
PRIVATE SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR
Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) hascondemned the government decision to seal private schools run by Fallah-e- AamTrust (FAT) as the situation will impact around one lakh students and pushKashmir into an educational crisis.
In a statement chairman PSAJK G N Var said that “FAT ispurely concerned with education and it has nothing to do with the politics.These are government recognised private schools teaching syllabus prescribed bythe Board of School Education. These are like any other private schoolfollowing all the rules of government. It is not just one or two schools, butthey are around 325 schools giving education to one lakh students. Any attemptto close them will have huge ramification on education sector.”