J&K: Govt considers ban on both factions of Hurriyat Conference, say reports

The Centre is considering a proposal to ban both the hardline and moderate factions of Hurriyat Conference in Jammu and Kashmir, media reports have said quoting official sources. Final call will be taken at the highest level of government.

The hardline faction of the separatist conglomerate was till recently headed by Ashraf Sehrai, who died of Covid in jail. The moderate group is led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq.

The ban will allow security agencies to arrest any office bearer for being associated with the Hurriyat, and block flow of funds.

In June 2019, more than a month before Article 370 was abrogated, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said his government was there to strike terror in the hearts of secessionists.

Meanwhile, NDTV reported that the extremist Hurriyat Conference faction on Sunday removed its signboard at the group’s head office at its leader Ali Shah Geelani’s residence in Srinagar’s Hyderpora area amid talks of a ban.

The Hurriyat Conference came into existence in 1993 with 26 groups, including some pro-Pakistan and banned outfits such as the Jamaat-e-Islami, JKLF and the Dukhtaran-e-Millat. It also included the People’s Conference and the Awami Action Committee headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

The separatist conglomerate broke into two factions in 2005 with the moderate group being led by the Mirwaiz and the hardline Tehreek-e-Hurriyat headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani.