Pro-India politicians, including chief minister Omar Abdullah, on Wednesday opposed the Centre’s ban on separatist parties led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Masroor Abbas Ansari, while PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti questioned the logic behind providing them security and banning them at the same time.
The Centre on Wednesday banned the Mirwaiz-led Awami Action Committee and the Ansari-helmed Jammu and Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen for five years under anti-terror law UAPA, citing threats to national security and sovereignty.
The Mirwaiz condemned the ban and said the party was founded by his father Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq during the agitation against the theft of Prophet Mohammad’s relic from the Hazratbal shrine in 1964.
“...This move seems part of the continuation of the policy of intimidation and disempowerment that has been followed viz a viz J&K since August 2019,” he said.
Omar said: “On principle, we have never been in favour of such decisions. After the Mirwaiz was released from house arrest and as long as I could see, he did nothing upsetting. But still, I say I have no information on what basis it happened. Let us see what happens next,” Omar told reporters.
