Indian Government Attacks Kashmir Jamaat-e-Islami, Imposes Ban Of Five Years

The Indian government has banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in Jammu and Kashmir for five years. New Delhi has accused Jamaat-e-Islami of supporting an armed rebellion in the disputed region which has further intensified current conflict.

Recently, Indian authorities launched a major crackdown on JeI leaders in Kashmir region following the suicide attack in Pulwama which was claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed group. As a result of all these events, the Indian government has finally imposed a ban on JeI in India held Kashmir.

JeI regards itself as separate from Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, its Indian counterpart, and backs Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. The JeI maintains that Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory, and seeks its resolution through the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people.

In a statement, Indian Home Ministry said: ” The JeI has been banned for the unlawful association and for activities prejudicial to internal security and public order. The group was in touch with militant outfits and supports extremism and militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere and supported secession of a part of the Indian territory”.

“If JeI’s activities were not curbed, it is likely to escalate its subversive activities including an attempt to carve out an Islamic state out of the territory of Union of India”, the ministry added.

It is the third ban to be imposed on the organisation. Responding to the move, a senior JeI leader told Pakistani media that India’s iron fist policy would not work. “It has been banned earlier also, but I think in the current situation it won’t help. The government has used military might and a tough policy for the past five years and they didn’t work. The ban won’t work either,” JeI leader said adding that the ban was likely to put thousands of students who study in schools run by the group in danger.

“The leaders have been arrested and they are being categorised now. Police and other agencies are carrying out the process. These leaders are involved in sedition, instigation and inciting violence,” said the officer, who did not want to reveal his identity to the media.

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