Trying to deflect the Jamaat-e-Islami’s connection with terror outfits active in Kashmir, the Aligarh Muslim University students’ body attributed the Modi government’s action to political vendetta and the approaching general election
New Delhi: In yet another conscious departure from nationalism, the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has not just endorsed the banned Islamic outfit Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Jammu and Kashmir, but accused the Narendra Modi government of having “unleashed a state of undeclared emergency”.
The Modi regime had banned the Islamic outfit for five years on February 18 as part of its crackdown on terror in the wake of the February 14 Pulwama terror attack that killed nearly 50 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans.
In a letter issued by AMU Students' Union (AMUSU) president Salman Imtiaz on the organisation’s letterhead, the students body lamented the ban against what it considers to be a “popular organisation in Kashmir with grassroots network of social service support system for the victims of conflict, and offers livelihood to orphans and widows in the state”.
Also read: AMU student booted out for tweeting 'How's the Jaish?' following Pulwama massacre
According to sources, the role of a professor too is under the scanner.
When MyNation contacted Imtiaz, he said he would call later to give his statement. In the letter, the AMUSU labelled nationalism a “dangerous narrative”.
Trying to deflect the JeI’s connection with terror outfits active in the Valley, the AMU students’ body attributed the Centre’s action to political vendetta and the approaching general election. It said that the JeI was a “socio-religious-political organisation” and the ban came as a “shock”.
It said that India was “passing through turbulent times and the Modi government has unleashed a state of undeclared emergency, curbing dissent in all forms and imposing a dangerous narrative of nationalism on India”.
Imtiaz also said that the JeI ran according to its constitution and that it was “neither an underground organisation, nor is it a terror outfit”.
“As the BJP rule is coming to an end, and Parliamentary elections are just weeks away, the ban on Jamaat appears to be a decision that has little to do with unlawful activities, and more to do with the hardcore Hindutva politics. Almost all political parties, be it the National Conference, PDP and Congress, have snubbed the ban. The religious leadership in Kashmir, civil society and traders have also condemned the ban as politically motivated,” Imtiaz said.
Earlier, just after the Pulwama attack, AMU student Basim Hilal from Kashmir had put out a pro-Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) tweet: “How's the Jaish? Great Sir.” His tweet was twisted version of a now-famous dialogue from the movie Uri: The Surgical Strike. Hilal was thrown out of the varsity and an FIR was lodged.
In October 2018, an AMU student from Kashmir, Manan Bashir Wani, who was pursuing his PhD in geology from the varsity and had joined the Hizbul Mujahedeen, was killed in an encounter in Kupwara along with others.
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