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Journalism of Courage
After two Hurriyat Conference constituents — the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement (JKPM) and the J&K Democratic Political Movement (JKDPM) — announced they were severing all ties with separatists, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that “separatism has become history in Kashmir” and asserted that it will strengthen India’s unity.
He added that neither he nor his organisation “have any inclination or sympathy for the ideology of APHC, which has not been able to address the legitimate aspirations and grievances of people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Earlier, Advocate Mohammad Shafi Reshi had announced his disassociation from the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Political Movement (JKDPM) and the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (Geelani), of which he was previously a part.
Welcoming Saleem and Reshi’s decisions, Shah said it was a big victory for PM Narendra Modi’s vision of building a developed, peaceful and unified Bharat. He said that the unifying policies of the Modi government have “tossed” separatism out of J&K.
“Two organisations associated with the Hurriyat have announced the severing of all ties with separatism. I welcome this step towards strengthening Bharat’s unity and urge all such groups to come forward and shed separatism once and for all,” he said on X.
In his statement, Saleem also said, “I am a loyal citizen of India and both my organisation and I owe allegiance to the Constitution of India.”
He added, “Any use of my name or that of my organisation with APHC of either of its (APHC) factions or any of their constituents or any other entity pursuing separatist or similar such agenda will be liable to legal action from my side or from my organisation.”
On March 12, the MHA had banned the Awami Action Committee (AAC), headed by Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and the Jammu and Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM), led by Mohammad Abbas Ansari, for the next five years for their alleged anti-national activities, “supporting terrorism and fuelling secessionist activities”.
Both outfits are constituents of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference chaired by Mirwaiz Farooq, who had criticised the ban. The political mainstream in the Valley had also sought a reconsideration of the ban.
