Jamaat-e-Islami backed independent candidate for Kulgam assembly constituency Sayar Reshi campaigns, in Kulgam district.
Credit: PTI Photo
Srinagar: Ghulam Qadir Lone, the former General Secretary of the proscribed Jamaat-e-Islami, has said the organisation told government representatives during their meetings that the ban on the outfit is illegal and its should be reconsidered.
He also spoke about the organisation's current controversial status, its recent efforts to engage with the government for lifting the ban and on nine candidates backed by the party contesting the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls.
Reacting to an unsigned letter circulating on social media, in which it is claimed that Jamaat-e-Islami candidates were not authorised to participate in the assembly polls, Lone said JeI's activities remain prohibited, but highlighted that the organisation has formed a nine-member committee for negotiating with the Centre on the ban.
Lone emphasised that the committee operates with the endorsement of the last Majlis-e-Shoora, the highest decision-making body of the Jamaat before the ban was imposed.
"During our discussions with government representatives, we made it clear that the ban on the Jamaat is illegal, and we urged them to reconsider their position," he stated.
He further noted that the Jamaat decided to participate in the parliamentary elections, a move that admittedly contributed to an increase in voter turnout in Kashmir.
"This decision was welcomed across the political spectrum in Jammu and Kashmir. However, we are disappointed that our two Lok Sabha MPs did not raise the issue of ban in Parliament, leaving us with a feeling of being let down," Lone added.
In response to the unsigned social media letter, which also alleged that the nine-member committee was not representative of the true Jamaat and was instead a tactic employed by the BJP and RSS to undermine Jammu and Kashmir, Lone defended the committee's intentions.
He also expressed confidence in Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, also known as Engineer Rashid, stating, "While the other two MPs have done nothing, we still have hope for him as he is yet to make his mark in Parliament." Engineer Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party has joined hands with former members of the banned JeI for the Jammu and Kashmir election.
The unsigned letter, purportedly from the banned organisation, also criticised the committee for only managing to field nine candidates across 50 constituencies, claiming it was a result of "deception, intimidation, and allure." Of those candidates, it was noted that only one is an actual member of Jamaat-e-Islami.
As the political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir continues to evolve, the Jamaat-e-Islami's efforts to re-establish its presence remain a focal point of discussion among local leaders and the public.