Mehbooba Mufti protests ban on Jamaat-e-Islami in Jammu and Kashmir

Former chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday led a protest rally of her party in Anantnag district against the Centre's ban on Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Jammu and Kashmir for alleged anti-national and subversive activities. It was banned under Section 3 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.    

Mufti led scores of her party activists at the rally in the south Kashmir district. A large number of PDP workers and leaders took part in the protest held outside a housing colony in Khanabal area. They raised slogans demanding revocation of the ban and release of Jamaat leaders and activists detained during a crackdown by police last month.

Speaking to reporters, Mufti warned that she would intensify her protest if the ban is not lifted.

J&K: Former J&K CM & PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti holds protest in Anantnag against the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, says, "We want that the ban must be lifted. We'll go to district level now, then we will go to every segment. Elderly people who have been arrested must be released." pic.twitter.com/pPmwgLpydb

— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2019

"Our imams and moulvis are being arrested. 70- and 80-year-olds are being jailed. Offices of Jamaat-e-Islami have been sealed. People having Ahli-Hadith ideology are also being jailed. PDP is protesting against all this. We will not allow this muscle power,” the PDP president said.

Earlier, she said that Jamaat-e-Islami is an ideology and warned that banning it will have ‘dangerous ramifications’. "You cannot imprison an ideology or an idea.

The Centre has banned Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir for five years under anti-terror law on grounds that it was ‘in close touch’ with terrorist outfits and was expected to ‘escalate secessionist movement’ in the state.

A notification, banning the group under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs after a high-level meeting on security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The police have launched a major crackdown on the socio-religious organisation across the state, arresting over 150 of its leaders and activists and sealing its properties including offices and houses over the past week, besides freezing bank accounts linked to the organisation.