'Long pending step': BJP's Kavinder Gupta & J&K chief Ravinder Raina on Hurriyat G&M ban

Reacting to reports of a ban on both Hurriyat G&M, BJP leader and former J&K Deputy CM Kavinder Gupta on Monday said that it is a long pending step. While stating that the previous government didn't take any step against these "anti-nationals", the BJP leader said that India has a strong government. Those, who are behind the destruction of the valley will be acted upon, Gupta added.

Former J&K CM Kavinder Gupta said, "Earlier government used to ban Pro India organisations like RSS. It is for the first time that Hurriyat, which is responsible for death, destruction and bandh in Kashmir, the Centre is acting."

BJP J&K chief Ravinder Raina on reports of ban on both Hurriyat G&M

Remarking that Hurriyat is a separatist organisation, BJP J&K chief Ravinder Raina said that this organisation's leaders are dancing to the tunes of Pakistan. He said that their mother organisation has been banned and the youth were sent to become doctors but were made terrorists instead. 

Calling Hurriyat G&M leaders "murderers", Raina said that these leaders mislead the youth of Kashmir. The BJP J&K chief said, "They took money from families but trained youth for terror ranks." Asserting that the Kashmiri youth returned as terrorists and were also part of many attacks, he said that the law will take its own action. "Hurriyat G&M leaders are killers of Kashmiris," Raina added. 

Centre likely to ban Hurriyat G&M under UAPA over 'terror funding' charge

In an attempt to potentially crush terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, the central government is likely to ban both factions of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Founded on July 31, 1993, the conglomerate of 26 outfits including the Jammat-e-Islami, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front and Dukhtaran-e-Millat has spearheaded the separatist movement in J&K for over two decades. Perceived as an extension of the alliance which unsuccessfully contested in the 1987 Assembly polls, its clout has reduced in the last few years.

As per sources, some Hurriyat leaders allegedly sold MBBS seats in Pakistan to aspirants from Kashmir which otherwise costs up to Rs.12 lakh each. Some officials told PTI that this money was “put into channels that ended up in supporting programmes and projects pertaining to terrorism and separatism like payment for organising stone-pelting." They contended that the Hurriyat factions might be banned under Section 3(1) of the UAPA for not only conniving with terrorist groups such as Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba but also allegedly waging war against India as a part of a criminal conspiracy. 

(Image: PTI)