The Indian government has imposed a five-year ban on two local political parties in India-administered Kashmir, declaring them "unlawful associations" for allegedly engaging in activities that threaten India’s sovereignty, integrity, and security.
According to a notification issued by the Indian Home Ministry, the Awami Action Committee (AAC), led by pro-independence Kashmiri leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and the Jammu and Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM), headed by Masroor Abbas Ansari, were accused of "supporting terrorism, spreading anti-India narratives, and raising funds for secessionist movements in the region."
"If the activities of these groups are not curbed, they will disrupt public order, continue to support terrorist activities, and fuel separatism in the region," Indian government's notification claimed.
Farooq is also the head cleric of Srinagar's Jamia Masjid, Kashmir's largest and most influential mosque, where he delivers sermons. Ansari is a senior leader of All Parties Hurriyat Conference (a group of over two dozen pro-independence parties) and a prominent Shia cleric in Kashmir.
The Indian government invoked Section 3 of the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, to enforce the five-year ban.
Farooq, head of AAC, condemned the move, stating that his party was established in 1964 to represent the aspirations and rights of Kashmiris through peaceful and democratic means.
He said AAC members had endured imprisonment, persecution, and even martyrdom.
"This move seems part of the continuation of the policy of intimidation and disempowerment that has been in place in J&K since August 2019. The voice of truth may be suppressed through force but will not be silenced," he said.
Ansari also condemned the ban as "unjustified and unfair."
"This organisation has advocated for the aspirations and rights of the people of J&K through completely peaceful, non-violent and democratic means and seeks a permanent and lasting solution to the problems of people," he said.
"Banning will neither make any difference nor can it solve the problems. Govt should adopt a positive approach instead of suppressing the people and their demands so that an atmosphere of peace and order can be established in the region."
Former chief minister of the disputed region, Mehbooba Mufti, criticised New Delhi’s decision, calling it another blow to Kashmir’s social and political landscape.
She warned that suppressing dissent would only escalate tensions rather than resolve them, urging the local government to intervene.
"Democracy is about more than elections – it's about protecting citizens’ fundamental rights. While silencing Kashmir’s voices may serve BJP’s political agenda, it undermines the very Constitution that safeguards these rights. The Indian government must reassess its approach and move away from heavy-handed tactics," she said.
Fashion show outrage
Recently, both Farooq and Ansari spearheaded the outrage in the region sparked by a controversial fashion show held in the holy month of Ramadan by the Indian designer label Shivan & Narresh that was deemed offensive and obscene by most of the Kashmiris.
"The recent obscene fashion show held in #Gulmarg during the holy month of Ramadan has shocked and angered the people, a clear insult to our Sufi, saint cultural and religious values. We strongly condemn this obscenity and demand immediate accountability against those involved," Ansari demanded.
"Outrageous! That In the holy month of Ramzan, an obscene fashion show is organised in #Gulmarg, pictures & videos from which have gone viral sparking shock and anger among people. How could it be tolerated in the valley known for its sufi, saint culture and the deeply religious outlook of its people? Those involved should be immediately held accountable. Such obscenity in the name of tourism promotion will not be tolerated in #Kashmir.!," Farooq said.
Since 2019, the Indian government has banned more than six local political and social groups in the region, citing "threats to national sovereignty."
Last month, police in Indian-administered Kashmir raided bookstores and seized 668 books linked to a major Islamic organisation in the region, where strict controls on the press have escalated in recent years.
India-Pakistan-China control
In 2019, New Delhi stripped Kashmir’s special status as a semi-autonomous region with a separate constitution and inherited protections on land and jobs.
The federal government also downgraded and divided the former state into two centrally governed union territories, Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir, the first time in the history of India that a region’s statehood was downgraded to a federally administered territory.
India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety. Kashmiris in the Indian-administered portion of the region have been fighting New Delhi’s rule since 1989. Many Muslims support the resistance groups’ goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.
India claims the resistance in Kashmir is "Pakistan-sponsored terrorism". Pakistan denies the charge, and many Kashmiris consider it a legitimate freedom struggle. Tens of thousands of civilians, resistance fighters and Indian forces have been killed in the conflict.
Indian and Chinese soldiers have been engaged in a military standoff in Ladakh area of the disputed region since 2020 even as Beijing and New Delhi agreed in October on patrols in disputed areas.
Both countries have stationed tens of thousands of soldiers along their frontier, backed by artillery, tanks and fighter jets.
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Source: TRT