Srinagar
Terming a recent statement by the government that schools, mosques and orphanages have been kept out of the scope of the seizures and sealing, as “misleading”, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries denounced the ban of the Jama’at-e-Islami outfit.
Responding to the statement, the spokesman of the Kashmir Chamber stated that ban had been imposed by the Ministry of Home Affairs vide S.O 1069(E) dated the 28th of February, 2019 and the State has only facilitated it; any clarification required to be issued would ordinarily emanate from the Central Government;
The action of the imposition of the ban has already been condemned by a majority of stakeholders in our State as being attempts to subjugate the minorities with an eye on the forthcoming elections
The spokesman said that Delhi has arrested teachers, students, key organizational leaders of the Jama’at-e-Islami, sealed their properties including residential houses and frozen their bank accounts, how the Government expects the schools and orphanages controlled by the Jama’at-e-Islami to function is not understandable.
The spokesman added that by virtue of these actions, the assets of the Jama’at-e-Islami including schools and orphanages have been rendered unworkable. The mosques have been kept open but the Muezzin and Namazi’s are behind bars.
Last week, the central government banned Jama’at-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir for five years under “anti-terror law” on grounds that it was in “close touch” with militant outfits and was expected to “escalate secessionist movement” in the state.
Pertinently, days after the ban on the Jama’at outfit, besides sealing its offices and institutions, dozens of its leaders and activists were arrested from different parts of the valley. So far, many politicians and religious clerks have denounced the centre’s move towards the outfit.
