Possibility of ban on both groups of Hurriyat Conference in Jammu and Kashmir

New Delhi, Dt

In Jammu and Kashmir, the central government is likely to take stern action against two factions of the separatist organization Hurriyat Conference. Both groups are likely to be banned by the central government under the UAPA Act for anti-Government activities in India. Organizations of the Hurriyat Conference in Jammu and Kashmir have been leading the separatist movement for more than two decades.

Sources said a recent probe into granting MBBS seats to Kashmiri students by institutes in Pakistan indicated that the money collected from candidates by some organizations was being used to provide financial support to terrorist organizations in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Officials said the average cost of a seat of MBBS in Pakistan is Rs. 10 lakh to Rs. 12 lakhs. In some cases the fees were reduced due to the intervention of the Hurriyat leader. An investigation has revealed that the Hurriyat leader was 'selling' MBBS seats to Kashmiri students in Pakistan and part of the money raised was used to help terrorists. The investigation also found that Hurriyat leaders were selling other professional degrees.

Officials say terrorist groups have received indications of alleged involvement by separatist leaders in an investigation into financial aid. It also includes members and cadres of the Hurriyat Conference. He said the cadres had raised money from the country and abroad through various illegal means, including hawala, to finance separatist and terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. The money was used under the criminal conspiracy to stone security forces in the Kashmir Valley, systematically burn schools, damage public property and wage war against India. Officials said several members of both groups have been in jail since 2014, including Gilani's son-in-law Altaf Ahmed Shah.

If the Central Government believes that an organization is illegal, it can declare such organization illegal by issuing a notification under this Act. The proposal to ban both groups has been tabled under the central government's zero tolerance policy against terrorism.

The Hurriyat Conference came into being in the year 19 when eight groups came together, including supporters of some Pakistani and banned organizations such as Jamaat-e-Islami, JKLF and Dukhtaran-e-Millat. It also included an Awami Action Committee chaired by the People's Conference and Mirwaiz Umar Farrukh. However, in 2003, the separatist group Hurriyat split from the conference. The moderate group was led by Mirwaiz while the other radical group was led by Syed Ali Shah Gilani. The central government has so far banned Jamaat-e-Islami and JKLF under the UAPA. Both groups were banned in 2014.