Centre bans Jamaat-e-Islami in Jammu and Kashmir

In a major development, Central Government on Thursday declared the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in Jammu and Kashmir as an ‘unlawful association’ under Section 3 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 for alleged anti-national and subversive activities. A notification on the ban was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) after a high-level meeting on security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The development shows that the Centre is of the view that Jamaat-e-Islami was apparently in touch with terror outfits and was supporting extremism and terrorism in the state. 

Under section 3 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, Central Government declares the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), Jammu and Kashmir as an "unlawful association". pic.twitter.com/74hNtFwZFP

— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2019

Earlier on Monday, the Jammu and Kashmir Police had detained several leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami. The state police detained around two dozen of its cadres, including its chief Abdul Hamid Fayaz, officials said. 

Those detained include Advocate Zahid Ali (spokesperson), Ghulam Qadir Lone (former secretary general), Abdur Rouf (Ameer Zila Islamabad), Mudasir Ahmad (Ameer Tehsil Pahalgam), Abdul Salam (Dialgam), Bakhtawar Ahmad (Dialgam), Mohammad Hayat (Tral), Bilal Ahmad (Chadoora), Ghulam Mohammad Dar (Chak Sangran) and others.

The Jamaat had issued a statement condemning the detentions. "The move is a well designed conspiracy to pave way for further uncertainty in the region," it said in the statement. 

The Jamaat claimed that during the intervening night of February 22 and February 23, police and other agencies launched a mass arrest drive and raided many houses in the Valley, wherein dozens of its central and district level leaders were arrested, including its Ameer (chief) Jamaat Dr Abdul Hamid Fayaz and advocate Zahid Ali (spokesperson).