Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Several political parties in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday (March 12, 2025) called upon the Centre to reconsider banning Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s Awami Action Committee (AAC) and Masroor Ansari’s J&K Ittehadul Muslimeen (JKIM). However, the BJP has welcomed the move.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) raised the issue in the J&K Assembly. PDP legislator Waheed-ur-Rehman Para interrupted the proceedings and drew the Speaker’s attention to the Centre’s move to ban the two socio-political organisations founded in the 1960s. “Banning amounts to stifling political dissent. Dialogue and peaceful engagement is an important means to address political issues in J&K,” Mr. Para said.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti accused the Centre of “apparently trying to blackmail these groups into accepting something”. She said the move to ban these socio-political groups was “unfortunate.”
“The Mirwaiz is himself a victim. His father, who founded the party, was martyred. On one hand, the Government of India provided Z-security to the Mirwaiz and understands the sensitivity, on the other his party is banned. How long will this muscular policy be pursued in Kashmir?” Ms. Mufti said.
She said the people of J&K considered such moves “abnormal during the Lieutenant Governor’s rule”. “It’s sad that despite an elected government, such moves continue. There is a need to adopt a healing policy. Such moves further pains the hearts of people,” she said.
National Conference (NC) legislators also urged the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to reconsider the ban. “The ban orders are harsh. We appeal to the Government of India to take a relook,” NC legislator Tanvir Sadiq said.
Congress legislator Irfan Hafeez Lone termed the ban as “a bid to divert attention of people of the country”. “It seems a bid to divert attention from questioning the Centre about peace they claim is returning to the J&K after abrogation of provisions of Article 370,” Mr. Lone said.
Hakeem Yaseen, president of the J&K Peoples Democratic Front (PDF), also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah “to reconsider and lift the ban”. “These organisations have played an important role in Kashmir’s history and have served the people for decades. Given their immense contribution, the government should reconsider its decision and lift the ban,” Mr. Yaseen said.
The BJP, however, welcomed the move. “These groups were banned for anti-national activities. It’s a commendable step to safeguard India’s integrity. Parties such the PDP feel the pain because its ideology springs from separatists like Jamaat-e-Islami. We need to identify more such organisations and act against them,” BJP legislator Sunil Sharma said.
‘Ban is undemocratic’
Meanwhile, J&K Anjuman-E-Sharie Shian president and Shia cleric Aga Syed Hassan Mosavi said such bans were “unconstitutional and undemocratic”. “These acts will not help to establish peace and will further fuel differences,” Mr. Mosavi said.
The Mirwaiz described the ban as “intimidation and disempowerment that has been followed in J&K since August 2019”. “The voice of truth may be suppressed through force but will not be silenced,” he said.
The foundation of the AAC was laid by the Mirwaiz’s father Mirwaiz Moulana Farooq in 1964 as a new political party to agitate over the disappearance of a holy relic from the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar. In 1977, the AAC, under Mr. Farooq, supported then Prime Minister Morarji Desai’s Janata Party and fought elections together in J&K. Mr. Farooq was assassinated in 1990 by gunmen at his residence. According to the J&K Police, militants were behind the assassination of Mr. Farooq.
JKIM’s Masroor Ansari said the ban was “unjustified and unfair”. “JKIM has advocated for the aspirations and rights of the people of J&K through completely peaceful, non-violent and democratic means and seeks a permanent and lasting solution to the problems of people,” Mr. Masroor said.
He said the government should adopt a “positive approach instead of suppressing the people and their demands so that an atmosphere of peace and order can be established in the region. We call upon the government to review this decision because coercion and restrictions do not solve problems but create further complications,” Mr. Masroor added.
Published – March 12, 2025 10:05 pm IST