Ishfaq-ul-Hassan
SRINAGAR—Nearly 300 educational institutions run by Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT), an affiliate of banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) have been shut down in Jammu and Kashmir.
Chief Education Officers (CEOs) have been asked to seal the schools within 15 days in consultation with district administration.
The action followed an investigation by the State Investigation Agency (SIA).
Conservative estimates reveal about 50,000 students are enrolled in FAT-run educational institutions. In 1990, the then Governor’s administration banned Jamaat-e-Islami. Later FAT teachers were then absorbed into Government services. However, the court had overturned the ban on FAT.
“Jammu and Kashmir government had banned the Falah-e-Aam Trust on May 11, 1990, and also vide communication dated 23-10-2019. All the students currently studying in these banned institutions shall admit themselves to nearby government schools for the current academic session. All CEOs/Principals/ZEOs shall facilitate the admission of these students,” the government order issued by Principal Secretary (Education) B K Singh said.
The government cited the ban of the Trust in 1990 under Section 3 of the Jammu and Kashmir Criminal Law Amendment Act-1983. The Act states that the ban remains in force only for two years. Under Unlawful Activities Act-1967, the ban remains in force for a period of five years.
FAT was set up by Jamat-e-Islami and registered by the Government on July 31, 1972. However, on February 28, 2019, the then Union Home Ministry headed by Rajnath Singh banned Jamat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir on grounds of being in close touch with militants.
In February 2019, the centre banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) for five years for allegedly supporting “terrorist groups and being involved in the anti-national and subversive activities in the country”.
It was for the second time when JeI has been banned in the last 32 years of turmoil. Jamaat was banned in 1990 but its ban was revoked and leaders were released a few years later.
The ban was prompted by the claims made by the then Hizbul Mujahedeen chief commander Mohammad Ahsan Dar that his outfit was the military wing of JeI.
“JeI is in close touch with militant outfits and is supporting extremism and militancy in J&K and elsewhere. JeI is supporting claims for the 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. JeI is involved in anti-national and subversive activities in the country intended to cause disaffection”, read the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notification in 2019.
MHA said the central government is also of the opinion that having regard to the activities of the JeI, it is necessary to declare it to be an unlawful association with immediate effect.
“Now therefore in exercise of the powers conferred by sub section (1) and (3) of Section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967, the central government hereby declares the JeI Jammu and Kashmir as an unlawful association and directs that this notification shall be subject to any order that may be made under section 4 of the said Act have effect for a period of five years from the date of this publication in the official gazette”, read the MHA notification.
After the formation of the Hurriyat Conference, JeI was one of the constituent members of the conglomerate. Later, when the Hurriyat split, it became the part of late Syed Ali Shah Geelani-led faction. However, Geelani, who was originally from JeI floated his own outfit Tehreek-e-Hurriyat and became the head of the hard-line faction of the Hurriyat Conference.
