Heavy troop deployment in Kashmir as forces crack down on Jamaat-e-Islami, top leaders detained
Though police termed the detentions as routine, officials privy to the developments said this is the first major crackdown on the Jamaat-e-Islami that is part of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, a separatist conglomerate.
In Short
- Police have detained JeI chief Abdul Fayaz
- JeI has called the raids a "well-designed conspiracy"
- Cadres picked up from Anantnag, Pahalgam and Tral
Ahead of the Supreme Court hearing on Article 35A, which gives special powers to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the state government has ramped up its crackdown on separatist leaders. Many JeI leaders and activists have been arrested or detained in the Valley.
Though police termed the detentions as routine, officials privy to the developments said this is the first major crackdown on the organisation that is part of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, a separatist conglomerate.
Conducting night raids in south Kashmir and central Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Police picked up many JeI leaders from their homes.
Those detained including Ameer Jama’at, Dr Abdul Hamid Fayaz, advocate Zahid Ali (spokesperson), Ghulam Qadir Lone (former secretary general), Abdur Rouf (Ameer Zila Islamabad), Mudasir Ahmad (Ameer Tehsil Pahalgam), Abdul Salam (Dialgam), Bakhtawar Ahmad (Dialgam), Mohammad Hayat (Tral), Bilal Ahmad (Chadoora), Ghulam Mohammad Dar (Chak Sangran) and dozens more.
The Jamaat-e-Islami is a social-political organization with cadre base across the Valley. Speaking to a local agency, a JeI spokesperson said that the raids were a "well-designed conspiracy to pave way for further uncertainty in the region."
The Jamaat cadres were picked up from various places, including Anantnag, Pahalgham, Dialgam, Tral -- all in south Kashmir.
The Jamaat termed the raids as "fishy" at a time when the Supreme Court is to hear a petition regarding Article 35A of the Constitution, which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
"...The way forces personnel unleashed the spree of mass arrest and detained dozens of Jamaat members prior to the hearing seems something is hatching behind the curtains. Any attempt of eroding or tampering Article 35A is unacceptable for people of Jammu and Kashmir," it said.
Besides this, police also detained JKLF chief Yaseen Malik on Friday night.
Additional troops have been also rushed to Jammu and Kashmir but no one has been able to provide reasons for such a massive deployment.
The action comes eight days after an audacious terror attack on a convoy in Pulwama district in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives.
J&K leaders condemn arrests
Terming the arrests 'arbitrary' PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said that the raids will only precipitate the tense situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Tweeting about it, Mehbooba Mufti said, "In the past 24 hours, Hurriyat leaders & workers of Jamaat organisation have been arrested. Fail to understand such an arbitrary move which will only precipitate matters in J&K. Under what legal grounds are their arrests justified? You can imprison a person but not his ideas," she said.
People's Conference chief Sajad Lone also condemned the move, warning that the model has worsened the situation in the past. "Gov seems to be on an arrest spree. Just a word of caution. Large scale arrests took place in 1990. Leaders were ferried to Jodhpur and many jails across the country. Things worsened. This is a tried tested and failed model. Please desist from it. It won’t work. Things will worsen" he wrote.
(with inputs from PTI)