The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday declared two factions of the Muslim Conference, Jammu and Kashmir (MCJK), led by Abdul Ghani Bhat and Ghulam Nabi Sumji, respectively, as an “unlawful association under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Union Home Minister Amit Shah posted on social media platform X that “these outfits have been engaging in activities against the sovereignty and integrity of the nation”. Both factions have been banned for five years.
The two groups, which are a constituent of the Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), have not been active for several years.
In 2017, Prof. Abdul Ghani Bhat, who had been the head of the APHC, was removed as the president of the Muslim Conference after meeting with the Government of India’s special representative, the late Dineshwar Sharma, and expressing his willingness to talk to the Centre. He is considered to be a moderate and the group has negligible presence.
Ghulam Nabi Sumji, a former MLA, resigned in 1989 to join the Hurriyat.
A notification by the MHA said MCJK-B, chaired by Bhat, has linkages with banned terrorist organisations and has supported terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. It said that members of the MCJK-B have been indulging in generating feelings of hatred and disaffection against India to separate Jammu and Kashmir from the Union of India, and its leaders have raised funds through various sources, including Pakistan and its proxy organisations, for perpetrating unlawful activities, including supporting terrorist activities and sustained pelting of stones on Indian security forces.
“The MCJK-B and its members by their activities show sheer disrespect towards the constitutional authority and constitutional set up of the country; And whereas, MCJK-B by giving clarion call to boycott elections on multiple occasions, has also attempted to subvert the will of people and democratic process in J&K,” the notification said.
MCJK-S, the other outfit chaired by Ghulam Nabi Sumji, is known for its anti-India and pro-Pakistan propaganda, the MHA said in its notification.
“Members of the MCJK-S have remained involved in supporting terrorist activities and providing logistic support to terrorists in J&K, the leaders and members have been involved in raising funds through various sources including Pakistan and its proxy organisations for perpetrating unlawful activities, including supporting terrorist activities, sustained stone-pelting on Security Forces in J&K...And whereas, MCJK-S is involved in promoting, aiding and abetting secession of J&K from India by involving in anti-national and subversive activities; sowing seeds of disaffection amongst people; exhorting people to destabilise law and order...promoting hatred against established Government by giving clarion call to boycott elections on multiple occasions in J&K,” the notification said.
