Amid rumors and speculations, government arrested Jamat-i-Isami leaders and issued a notification banning Jamat-e-Islami for five years. Though government has neither cited any reason for this crackdown nor its future intentions are known so for, but it seems that government believes Jamat-e-Islami to be a hardcore religious and political organization. A section within state apparatus sees Jamat hand in various incidents of violence and uprising in Kashmir.
When militancy started in 1989 Jamat-e-Islami of course had a very visible role in giving militant organizations, especially Hizb-ul-Mujhideen, a political backing; even the organisation was declared to be the Fouji Bazoo (military wing) of Jamat-e-Islami. After hundreds of Jamat activists were killed, by the state and its sponsored groups, and jailed, voices started gaining momentum within Jamat that organization should return to its fundamental agenda of religious, social and political activities and must delink itself from indulging into any underground activity.
Since the founder of Jamat-e-Islami Moulana Modudi had never advocated or preached for running any underground activity as such the lobby asking for bringing Jamat back to its fundamental objectives and goals gained good support within the party cadres and it ended up with party openly announcing confining its agenda to religious and political activities.
The hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani was in total disagreement with the decision and parted his ways from Jamat-e-Islami. It was a tough decision for Geelani Sahab, as he was entirely the product of Jamat-e-Islami and his love and loyalty towards the party was such that he was seen as the face of this party. While Jamat-e-Islami came under criticism from hardliners, for divorcing Hizb and sidelining Geelani, similar was the case with JKLF as Yaseen Malik, one of the founder commanders of armed struggle, publicaly announced that his party will fight for resolution to Kashmir dispute
“peacefully” and politically. Similarly circumstances led to a divide within APHC, amalgam of various resistive political parties, resulting in breaking of the amalgam into hardliner and moderate factions led by Geelani and Mirwaiz respectively.
New Delhi facilitated all these developments behind the curtains and took all this as a victory, though without any claim. Today when it is cracking down on all those with different political views it needs to be reminded of its promises and assurances of allowing peaceful political space to those who give up militancy but don’t agree with its stand on Kashmir. Contrary to these promises not only so called hardliner Geelani but Yaseen Malik and Mirwaiz also are being stopped from expressing their views, assaulted, harassed and confined either to their houses or to jail.
Crackdown on Jamat-e-Islami has forced every Kashmiri to feel chocked; they ask that where the political space is? , who will represent sentiments and aspirations of masses? One may have many reasons to differ with the politics of Jamat-e-Islami but the fact is that this is the only cadre based, disciplined and ideological organization in J&K which has not only proved its worth on more than one occasions but has contributed in education sector and reforming the society beyond doubt. The constitution of Jamat-e-Islami doesn’t by any means believe in communal, regional or religious discrimination and need of such organization is always in the interests of people and also in the interests of deep state irrespective of its stand on political dispute.
On one side New Delhi chokes the political space of its opponents and on the other hand has rendered the regional parties worthless whom it takes for granted. In such a situation there is a huge political vacuum and silencing every saner voice will not only add to the chaos but will also strengthen those forces who don’t believe in reconciliation. New Delhi’s policies of aggression and muzzling voices of Kashmiris will only discredit its own interests and even those who are sincerely loyal to New Delhi will think twice before agreeing to be part of any engagement or assignment with New Delhi.
New Delhi’s utterances and disrespecting leadership of various political thoughts should be certainly a wakeup call for all those forces that may differ over nature of Kashmir dispute and resolution to the conflict. Least they can do is to unite and protect at least the self-respect of their people. Restoring confidence among masses is a must and the fundamental duty of leadership. However when the leadership is unable, to even assess the real threats, it may prove detrimental for the entire state.
While Kashmiris need an urgent and honest introspection, New Delhi has to carry a cool analysis and admit that its suppressive measures are nothing except digging grave of its own interests in J&K.
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