Banned Jamaat in Jammu and Kashmir is supporting independents, will this increase the challenge for security forces?

New Delhi: This time Jamaat-e-Islami is also participating in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. It is a banned organization, so it cannot directly participate in the elections. But for the first time since 1987, Jamaat is supporting independent candidates and former members of Jamaat are also holding election rallies.

Banned in 2019, the ban was extended again this year

Apart from supporting separatism, Jamaat is also accused of supporting violent protests against security forces. It is a cadre-based organization and is considered the ideological source of Hizbul Mujahideen. This organization was banned by the Home Ministry under UAPA on 28 February 2019 and earlier this year the ban on the organization was extended for five years. This organization had participated in the 1987 assembly elections but then alleged rigging in the elections. Since then, the organization has been continuously boycotting the elections. But for some time now, people of Jamaat-e-Islami started talking about participation in the elections. Jamaat leader Abdul Hameed Ganai had said that his/her organization is in talks with the central government regarding participation in the assembly elections. he/she claimed that the supporters of his/her organization had exercised their franchise in the Lok Sabha elections.

Jamaat’s support to independent candidates

Jamaat is supporting independent candidates in four assembly constituencies of South Kashmir. A few days ago, former members of Jamaat held a rally in Kulgam with these independent candidates. In the rally, these candidates promised to talk about Kashmir, Kashmiris and political prisoners and also assured the return of Kashmiri Pandits home as well as their security. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has demanded the lifting of the ban on Jamaat and said that if the Center wants Jamaat-e-Islami to be a part of the democratic process, then the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami organization should be lifted.

Will you be included in the mainstream or will the challenge increase

While on one hand the participation of Jamaat people in the elections is being seen as their change of heart and it is being said that those who were earlier separatists want to join the mainstream, on the other hand people associated with the security forces also have their own concerns. Former Corps Commander of the 15th Corps of the Indian Army, Lieutenant General DP Pandey (Retired) says that in a democratic country, anyone has the right to support any candidate but at the same time it should also be understood that there are issues like radicalization. What can be the long term challenges and are some people again trying to incite religious violence in Jammu and Kashmir. One also has to be cautious about the ideology that promotes separatism.

People associated with the security forces are also talking about its long term impact. They believe that this could just be an attempt to buy time for themselves because the basic ideology of the Jamaat is not in India’s favor. They are working on that ideology in a planned manner which is not in India’s interest. This is also being seen from the point of view of Pakistan’s game plan. An officer said that the terrorist organization Hizbul Mujahideen works on the ideology of the Jamaat and tries to spread unrest in Jammu and Kashmir. This could also be an attempt by Pakistan to place its people in the government system of India.