Lok Janshakti Party national spokesperson Sanjay Saraf on Tuesday demanded revocation of ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir, saying the organisation is “religious and civil” in nature.
Addressing mediapersons at Kashmir Press Club here, he saidthat Jammat is running thousands of educational and welfare institutions inKashmir. “Banning Jamaat will give sense of alienation to a particularcommunity. It will impede the process of reconciliation in the state,” he said.
“We have always stood for dialogue and reconciliation. Webelieve talks on table, a sincere effort and mutual understanding, is the wayforward to make atmosphere conducive. Government of India must reconsider theban on Jamaat and revoke it,” he said, adding that “prohibiting activities ofany religious organisation is no solution to any matter.”
Last month, the government of India banned Jamaat-e-Islami(JeI) for five years.
Saraf also demanded revocation of two-day ban on civiliantraffic on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway.
On 4 April, the government issued a notification banning thecivilian traffic on the national highway from Baramulla to Udhampur twice aweek— Sunday and Wednesday. As per the notification, the order shall remain inoperation till May 31.
“We understand that taking security measures for protectionof security forces must be the priority. However, it is the duty of ademocratic government to redress the grievances and problems of public theyface due to these measures,” he said.
He said the practice to “politicise” the Kashmiri Panditsmust be stopped.
“All political parties recall the migrant Kashmiri Panditsat the time of polls. All these parties have continuously exploited KashmiriPandits. We all need to work with open heart and mind for those KashmiriPandits who want to return to the valley,” he said.
He questioned the remarks of National Conference wherein ithad demanded restoration of Prime Minister’s and Sadr-e-Riyasat post inJ&K. “How many times Dr Farooq Abdullah has raised this demand (restorationof PM, Sadr-e-Riyasat) in the Parliament during past two years? How many timeshe spoke about it when he was a cabinet minister in Manmohhan Singh led government?It is NC’s vote bank politics only,” he said.