The Modi government may soon ban all factions of the Kashmiri separatist organisation Hurriyat Conference as an “unlawful organisation” under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for their leaders’ involvement in terror financing in Jammu and Kashmir, according to a report in Times of India.
According to the report in TOI, sources in the intelligence agencies said that the Modi government might decide to ban all factions of the Hurriyat Conference including the faction that was led by now dead Syed Ali Shah Geelani. The government plans to ban these factions under Section 3(1) of the UAPA.
Earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir government along with NIA had submitted input to the Home Ministry about the Hurriyat Conference financing terror in the state. The Home Minister had then sought additional information from NIA and the state govt. The sources informed TOI that the additional data that was sought has now been submitted to the MHA and therefore, the decision to ban the factions may come soon.
An officer, speaking to Times of India said that even though several leaders of the Hurriyat have been in jail in the past couple of years and agencies have cracked down on terror financing, a ban on Hurriyat would help curb terrorism further. He said it would help the agencies curb the community level fund collection that is carried on by the Hurriyat conference. Thereafter, that money is given to subversive elements in Kashmir under the instructions of Pakistan’s ISI. The officer further said that with a UAPA ban, the government would be able to crack down not only on terror financing but also on the routes of financing used by Hurriyat. One of the major routes through which money for terrorism is raised in the sale of medical seats in Pakistan’s colleges from its quota and then channeling that money to fund terrorism in Kashmir.
The ban would also mean that Hurriyat would have to dismantle all its offices and infrastructure and the calls to Bandh and protest would automatically be considered illegal.
Once the government decides to ban the Hurriyat Conference, the government would announce the decision in the official gazette. Thereafter, the decision would have to be approved by the committee that has been formed under UAPA to ratify such decisions.
