Govt extends ban on J-K's Jamaat-e-Islami for 5 yrs

The ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu Kashmir, has been extended by another five years for continuing activities that pose a threat to the security of the nation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Tuesday.

Shah said stringent actions would be taken against any individual who jeopardises the nation's security.

He underscored the government's decision to extend the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu Kashmir was in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and separatism.

The home minister cited the organisation's persistent engagement in activities deemed detrimental to the security, integrity, and sovereignty of the nation as the primary rationale behind the extension.

"Pursuing PM @narendramodi Ji's policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and separatism the government has extended the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu Kashmir for five years," he wrote on X.

The home minister said the organisation is found continuing its activities against the security, integrity and sovereignty of the nation.

The outfit was first declared an 'Unlawful Association' on February 28, 2019.

In a notification, the Union home ministry said the Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir, has been indulging in activities which are prejudicial to internal security and public order and have the potential to disrupt the unity and integrity of the country.

The home ministry has listed 47 cases registered against the JeI which includes an NIA case for collection of funds used to encourage violent and secessionist activities.

It said that the funds were also used by the active cadres and members of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Tayiba and other terrorist organisations through a well-established network of their cadres to organise violent protests, create public unrest and communal disharmony, thus creating a sense of fear and insecurity in Jammu and Kashmir and all over the country.

Another NIA case was registered against the members and cadres of JeI, including Ameer Mohammed Shamsi, chief executive of Al-Huda Educational Trust, for receiving funds through AHET, Rajouri, in the name of JeI even after its ban in February, 2019.

The funds were used by the members in anti-national activities in the region of Jammu and Kashmir.

The AHET was formed by the top leadership of the JeI and seven top leaders including accused Ameer Mohammed Shamsi who were the trustees of AHET.

The home ministry said the JeI is in close touch with terrorist outfits and is continuously supporting extremism and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere.

The JeI is supporting claims for secession of a part of the Indian territory from the Union and supporting terrorist and separatist groups fighting for this purpose by indulging in activities and articulations intended to disrupt the territorial integrity of India.

It is involved in anti-national and subversive activities in the country intended to cause disaffection, it said.

The home ministry said it is of the opinion that if the unlawful activities of the JeI are not curbed and controlled immediately, it will take the opportunity to escalate subversive activities, including attempt to carve out an Islamic State out of the territory of India and escalate secessionist movements, support militancy and incite violence in the country.

The central government is firmly of the opinion that having regard to the activities of the JeI, it is necessary to declare it as an "unlawful association' with immediate effect, the home ministry said.

Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), the central government hereby declares the Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir, as an unlawful association for a period of five years, the notification said.