J&K Opposition Questions Motive Behind School Takeover
Parties criticize takeover of 215 JeI-linked schools.
Opposition parties in Jammu and Kashmir unleashed a fierce backlash on Saturday against the government’s takeover of 215 schools linked to the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and its Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT), accusing the National Conference (NC)-led administration of targeting the organization and jeopardizing the future of thousands of students. The move, initiated by the School Education Department on Friday, has sparked a heated political row, with critics labeling it as an overreach that undermines recent democratic gains.
Peoples’ Conference leader and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone took to X, slamming the government’s decision as a new low in “servility.” “Shame and shamelessness have assumed new meanings in this government,” he posted, accusing the NC of being complicit in what he called a “forcible” takeover of 215 schools. Lone, whose party was previously branded as the “B team” by the NC during elections, insisted that the elected government is an equal partner in such actions, urging the public to see through the “sermons and edicts” of the ruling party.
PDP leader Iltija Mufti echoed the criticism, accusing the NC of a long-standing vendetta against JeI. “Every time the National Conference gets a brute majority, their first target has been the Jamaat,” she posted on X, referencing the 1977 elections and the current crisis affecting 51,363 students. Mufti questioned Education Minister Sakina Itoo’s “hazy, illogical U-turn” after Itoo clarified that the original order intended for nearby school principals, not deputy commissioners, to oversee the schools. “Why not admit this is their policy of punishing JeI?” she asked.
Also Read: J&K Govt Seizes 215 Schools Linked to Banned Jamaat-e-Islami
PDP’s Pulwama MLA Waheed Para highlighted the takeover’s broader implications, noting that JeI’s participation in the 2024 elections marked a significant step toward integrating the group into the democratic process—a milestone unachieved by force. “What arrests and encounters couldn’t accomplish, democracy did,” he posted on X, lamenting the takeover and recent book bans as “knee-jerk reactions” that risk alienating JeI-aligned individuals. Para urged the Government of India to uphold constitutional guarantees and foster democracy in J&K, warning that such actions could close doors for those seeking to move beyond past conflicts.
The controversy stems from a government order citing intelligence reports linking the schools to JeI, banned in 2019 and 2024 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. While the administration insists the takeover safeguards students’ education, opposition leaders argue it disrupts academic stability and reflects a deeper political agenda, intensifying tensions in the Valley’s volatile political landscape.
