Srinagar, February 25 (KNO) : Jamaat-e-Islami Monday said the campaign of arrests against the organization was not new as it became target of ‘State sponsored oppression' in 1953 as when it separated as an organization from Jama’at-e-Islami Hind.
"A crackdown has been unleashed against Jama’at-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir (JIJK) since last week (22-02-2019). A campaign of arrests, detentions and harassment has been unleashed upon the cadres of the organization. Scores of Jama’at workers have been detained illegally including Ameer-i-Jama’at (President), Dr. Abdul Hameed Fayaz and many district level Presidents," spokesman said in a statement issued to KNO.
"This is not for the first time that Jama’at is being subjected to such a reign of terror and tyranny. In 1953 when it separated as an organization from Jama’at-e-Islami Hind, it became target of State sponsored oppression," he said.
He added the founder Ameer (President) of Jama’at-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir, Maulana Saad-u-Din was sacked from services in the same year, subsequently Jama’at leaders and workers were arrested in 1964 in the aftermath of Moi-e-Muqaddas (holy relic) agitation and Indo-Pak war of 1965.
"For expressing views not digestible to the advocates of Status quo, another campaign of arrests and detentions was unleashed against Jama’at after “State People’s Convention” organized by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah under the patronage of J P Naraynan," the statement reads.
It added that for its opposition to Indra-Abdullah accord of 1975 Jama’at-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir was banned during emergency. "In early ‘90s on inception of insurgency, Jama’at-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir was again banned and hundreds of its workers martyred by state agencies & mercenaries hired by them. Thousands of Jama’at associates and sympathizers were arrested illegally," it added.
These ordeals were faced by Jama’at despite the fact that it has been an organization working for propagation of Islam in its entirety through peaceful and constitutional means, it said, adding the means include dissemination through education, preaching at religious places, Social Work among masses irrespective of religious beliefs, rehabilitation of orphans, victims of natural and manmade calamities.
"It is through these activities that, irrespective of State oppression, Jama’at continues to flourish and expand its appeal as one of the foremost organized religious movements within the State of Jammu and Kashmir," the statement added.
Jama’at is again being targeted for reasons unknown to it, spokesman said, adding that it seems that those who currently rule India are resorting to unethical machinations aimed at addressing their own electoral constituencies and garnering votes out of this despotic approach even at the cost of basic human values which remain essence of any democratic set up.
"However, Jama’at is determined to sustain its activities irrespective of ordeals, through constitutional and legal means. We will continue to carry forward our routine educational, welfare, charity and religious activities within framework of our organizational Constitution (Dastoor-i-Jama’at), which mandates use of all peaceful means in a democratic way," he said.
The statement said "all our activities are open, visible and transparent. Jama’at is a cadre based organization with its presence in every nook and corner of the State. Thousands of needy persons and deprived sections of our society are directly benefitting from educational and charity works of Jama’at-e-Islami. Any interference in Jama’at’s peaceful activities will directly affect the wellbeing of these sections of society."
Jama’at wonders why it is being targeted while on one side India is claiming to be a secular democracy domestically, and is marketing the same perception about its polity at international forums, it added.
"Jama’at wonders how such a portrayal of India can be accepted by the International community in this era of information revolution. It seems that current dispensation of India is trying to penalize the Kashmiri society as a whole in order to appease communal forces in India and has made Kashmir’s younger generation and socio-political religious party, Jama’at-e-Islami, a specific target of its muscular power," JeI spokesman said.
"On one side Kashmiri students studying in different States of India including girls are implicated in fake criminal cases, on the other hand workers of Jama’at and other religious and political parties are detained without any reason. The fate of Kashmiri traders and laborers in India remains no different from the fate of students and activists," JeI added.
"State functionaries need to realize the fact that whatever incidents occur in Jammu and Kashmir, they are result of indecisions and inability of those in power to take initiative for resolving the long pending dispute of Jammu and Kashmir. Use of muscular policy in Kashmir will result into further destabilization of situation in South Asia," he said.
JeI statement added instead, sincere efforts should be made to resolve the long pending dispute of Jammu and Kashmir through peaceful means i.e. by implementing the resolutions of United Nations on Kashmir passed from time to time or by finding a just solution to Kashmir dispute by starting dialogue with the parties to this dispute, including the genuine representatives of people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Paradoxically, the State functionaries are saying that the ongoing reign of terror unleashed in Kashmir is aimed at securing peaceful atmosphere for the conduct of elections," it added. Pertinently, Jama’at-e-Islami has clarified that election is a non-issue for them. From 1989, Jama’at has remained aloof from any election process, they said.
"Kashmiri society remains terrorized on account of Human rights abuses to which they are subjected in the name of fake encounters, torture, pellets and unlawful detentions. The space for political dissent remains choked. Younger generations of Kashmir as a result are pushed to the wall and compelled to take extreme steps," JeI said.
Instead of pacifying the situation, those who rule India presently seem to be interested in escalating the tensions in Kashmir for petty electoral gains back home, it said while reiterating its demand for an end to this reign of terror, expresses its will and determination to continue its work through peaceful means.
It appeals to members of International Community in general and UNO and international human rights bodies in particular, to take notice of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Jammu and Kashmir which is fast becoming an epicenter of a devastating conflict in whole of South Asia.
Jama’at-e-Islami said it believes that any attempt of tinkering with Article 35(A) which provides special status to the State of Jammu and Kashmir is unacceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. They appealed Indian civil society groups and saner voices in Indian media to play pro-active role in preventing Jammu and Kashmir from becoming another testing ground for cheap electoral politics.(KNO)