Jamaat-e-Islami, a banned group, makes its first electoral foray in Kashmir after 37 years.

Sept. 9, 2024, 4:16 p.m.

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In a significant move, the proscribed Jamaat-e-Islami held its first election rally in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, marking its return to the political arena after a long absence.

Since the Jamaat is outlawed, it is supporting a group of independent candidates in the upcoming elections.

The Jamaat organized the rally in Bogam village, Kulgam district, South Kashmir. While the Jamaat-backed candidates have been engaging in door-to-door campaigns, the rally was a noteworthy event, attracting hundreds of attendees.

Advertisement Jamaat-e-Islami organized a large gathering in Kulgam, a district in South Kashmir.

Reports Younus Rashid pic.twitter.com/wS6RJ8bgO2

— Rising Kashmir (@RisingKashmir) September 8, 2024 The Jamaat remains banned under the anti-terrorism law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). In 2019, the Narendra Modi government banned the JeI for five years for being “in close touch” with terrorist groups and over expectations it would “escalate secessionist movement” in J&K. The ban was renewed for another five years in 2024.

The Jamaat has a long history of involvement in terrorism and separatism in J&K. During the 1990s, it was considered a supporter of Hizbul Mujahideen, a terrorist group backed by Pakistan. Syed Ali Shah Geelani, a prominent separatist leader who spearheaded the separatist movement for many years, was also affiliated with the Jamaat.

Jamaat eyes at electoral comeback

According to The Indian Express, the Jamaat has indirectly put forward at least four candidates in the first phase of the J&K elections, scheduled for September 18.

The four contenders for the seat are former members Dr Talat Majeed, Sayar Ahmad Reshi, Nazir Ahmad, and Ajaz Ahmad Mir.

Reshi faces competition from MY Tarigami, a prominent figure in the communist movement, who has been nominated by the J&K National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance.

Addressing a rally in Bogam, Reshi asserted that there is a void in J&K that needs to be filled, as reported by The Express.

Reshi said that even though fingers will be pointed at them, the JeI drew its support from the “sea of people”.

Advertisement Maintaining flexibility regarding post-election alliances, Reshi declared that JeI candidates would support any party committed to the welfare of Jammu and Kashmir. However, he added that they would not hesitate to call out any instances of suppression.

“We will support any party that would work to restore the dignity of the people…We will support the Constitution of India. But if there is suppression, we will call it suppression. We will also plead for peace and tranquillity,” said Reshi, as per the newspaper.

Mir, who is contesting with Jamaat’s backing after being denied a ticket by J&K People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said they will represent the “aspirations of the people” in the assembly.

Advertisement “We will not promote corruption and work transparently. We will talk about Kashmir and Kashmiris. We will represent the aspirations of the people in the Assembly,” said Mir, as per the newspaper.

Can Jamaat shed its terrorist associations of past?

While Jamaat prepares to join the political arena, the question of whether it has distanced itself from its history of terrorism remains unresolved.

The Jamaat was widely considered to be the backer of the Hizbul Muhajideen, with the organization itself acknowledging it as Jamaat's armed branch. It wasn't until 1997 that Jamaat officially declared that it had no armed wing.

The Jamaat was part of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), a group of separatist parties and leaders formed in 1993 in Kashmir. Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the top separatist leader of Kashmir who called for Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan, was also with Jamaat till 2003.

Advertisement In his book ‘India, Pakistan And The Secret Jihad’, Praveen Swami noted that Jamaat was the patron of Hizbul Mujahideen, the largest terrorist group in J&K at the time.

“With its formidable network of cadre across Jammu and Kashmir, however, the Jamaat-e-Islami soon became the patron of the largest jihadist group, the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. A plethora of other groups emerged, most of them, like the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, with expressly Islamist sympathies and committed not to the independence of Jammu and Kashmir, but its accession to Pakistan,” noted Swami.

Even as Jamaat engaged in terrorism, it also had a brief period of political participation. In the disputed 1987 elections, the Jamaat participated under the banner of the Muslim United Front (MUF).

Despite a long history of association with terrorism, Jamaat is now participating in elections and also engaging with the government.

The Deccan Herald reported that some Jamaat leaders recently released from prison are negotiating with the central government to have the ban lifted.

Jammu and Kashmir is holding assembly elections after nearly a decade. The voting will be conducted in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8.

The last assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held in late 2014. After a period of vote counting, the Jammu & Kashmir People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed a coalition government in March 2015. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed served as the Chief Minister of J&K. Following his death, his daughter Mehbooba Mufti assumed the position of Chief Minister, leading the government until June 2018. The BJP withdrew from the coalition, leading to Mehbooba's resignation and the collapse of the government. This event resulted in the implementation of governor's rule in the state.

In November 2018, the then-Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Satya Pal Malik, dissolved the state assembly. Subsequently, in August 2019, the Modi government revoked Article 370 and divided J&K into two union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The 2024 J&K elections mark the first assembly elections since the abrogation of Article 370.