A recent move made by the government of Jammu and Kashmir ordered the takeover of 215 private schools, alleged to be linked to the banned Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir Muslim organisation and its affiliate, Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT), on Friday, August 22.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had designated the Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir as an “unlawful association” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
According to an order by the Secretary of the School Education Department, Ram Niwas Sharma, a number of schools were found to be “directly or indirectly affiliated with proscribed organisation Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI)/Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT).”
The 215 schools will now come under the respective district magistrate/deputy commissioner, who will later form new committees after proper verification.
More than 80 schools are located in Baramulla, 37 in Anantnag and six in Bandipora.
The decision has stirred controversy, prompting J&K education minister Sakina Itoo to clarify that her instructions were misunderstood. Refuting claims that the deputy commissioners would assume direct control, she emphasised instead that the nearby government school principals would oversee the institutions.
Meanwhile, J&K People’s Conference leader and MLA, Sajad Lone, has responded strongly with, “Shame and shamelessness have assumed new meanings in this government” in an X post.
J&K’s Justice and Development Front (JDF), comprising members from the banned Jamaat-e-Islami, condemned the state government’s action, saying it was an “administrative overreach” and a “painful reminder” of the National Conference’s legacy of betrayal.
In a statement shared on X, the group strongly appealed to the authorities to reverse the “arbitrary ban” and “ensure that every child in Jammu and Kashmir has access to uninterrupted education.”
Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti stated that the Jamaat-e-Islami has consistently been the National Conference’s primary target whenever it holds power.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the move was taken to “safeguard the future of thousands of students across the region.”
Its leader, Priya Sethi, said the Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliate Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT) exploited the sacred platform of education to spread radicalisation instead of knowledge.
“Despite being projected as a socio-religious body, the Jamaat-e-Islami was actively involved in spreading separatist ideology and creating a mindset of hostility against India. Its affiliate FAT-run schools were being misused to indoctrinate young children, rather than providing them with modern and progressive education,” she said.
The BJP leader reassured parents that government oversight would enhance transparency, ensure accountability, and improve the quality of education in these schools.
Initially banned in 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for alleged ties to militant groups and subversive aims, Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir saw the ban extended for another five years in 2024. Earlier this year, J&K police seized over 660 books in Srinagar, reportedly linked to the group’s ideology.
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