Kashmir – The Central Government of India on Thursday banned Jamaat-e-Islami group of Kashmir as an “unlawful association” for a period of five years for activities “prejudicial to internal security and public order”, and in the major crack-down over 400 Jamaat members have been arrested.
The Government has called the outfit potential to disrupt the unity and integrity of the country.
Government also claimed that Jamaat-e-Islami has been hand-in-glove with militant outfits and it supports extremism and militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Government declared to immediately curb Jamaat’s activities, otherwise their subversive activities will escalate including an attempt to carve out an Islamic State, Jamaat is also charged of propagating and promoting “anti-National and Separatist” sentiments.
In Kashmir, the Jamaat has participated in elections from 1965 till 1987, including the Assembly as well as Parliamentary elections.
Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Hurriyat Leader, won elections in Sopore in 1970s and 1980s as a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate.
With the rise of militancy in the valley since 1989, Jamaat got actively involved with separatist politics, while carving out the pro-Pakistan militant group, Hizbul-Mujahideen.
Moulana Abul Ala Maududi in 1941 after being formidably influenced by Iran’s Mullah’s formed Jamaat-e-Islami to promote political Islam while a decade ago the Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwanul-Muslimeen) was founded in 1928 by Hasan al-Banna.
Ikhwanul-Muslimeen and Jamaat-e-Islami have given rise to modern day terrorism, while al-Qaeda and ISIS are spawn from them.
Center’s decision to ban the outfit is to curb the growing influence of extremism in the valley.
