SRINAGAR: In a major decision, the Omar Abdullah government has ordered the takeover of managing committees of 215 schools affiliated with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and its affiliate Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT) in Jammu and Kashmir. The move has been criticised by the opposition Peoples Conference.
According to a government order, the intelligence Agencies have identified a number of schools which were found to be directly or indirectly affiliated with the banned organisation Jamat-e-Islami (JeI)/Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT).
“The validity of the managing committee of 215 such schools has expired and have been reported adversely upon by the intelligence agencies,” it states.
The government order stated that in order to safeguard the academic future of the students enrolled in these schools, the administration has ordered the takeover of the management committees of all 215 schools.
“The Managing Committee of the 215 schools shall be taken over by District Magistrate/ Deputy Commissioner concerned who shall propose a fresh Managing Committee in due course for the concerned schools after getting these duly verified. The District Magistrate/ Deputy Commissioner, on taking over these Schools, shall take appropriate steps in consultation and in coordination with the School Education Department to ensure that the academic career of the students enrolled in these schools is not affected in any manner. He shall also take all necessary measures to ensure quality education as per NEP norms in these schools,” reads the order.
Opposition Peoples Conference president and MLA Sajad Lone termed the government move a “blatant display of political overreach and servility.”
“215 schools forcibly taken over by the J&K Government. And no prizes for guessing. The elected government has passed the order,” Lone said. “Shame and shamelessness have assumed new meanings in this government. They are setting new standards in servility.”
Lone said this elected government is a party to all acts undertaken. “Be it mailings or termination of employees, they are equal partners. They have been equal partners in the past. And they will be equal partners in the future.”
“This is the A team. This was always the A team,” he added.
The central government had the religio-socio and political outfit Jamaat-e-Islami in February 2019 a fortnight after the February 14, 2019 suicide attack on a CRPF convoy at Lethpora, Pulwama in which 40 paramilitary personnel were killed and many others injured.
The Jamaat has been banned under sub¬section (1) of section (3) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967) and the organization has been declared as an unlawful association.
After the ban, the authorities launched a crackdown against the outfit and detained its leaders and workers. Hundreds of Jamaat workers including its chief were arrested and are lodged in different jails within and outside Kashmir.