SRINAGAR: A day after ordering the takeover of schools allegedly run by the banned Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JeI) educational organisation, Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT), Jammu and Kashmir government moved swiftly on Saturday to enforce the directive despite opposition from all political parties, except BJP. A senior official said the principals of nearby government schools, backed by police and revenue staff, asserted administrative authority in all 215 JeI-linked schools across Kashmir.On Friday evening, J&K education secretary stated in its order directing the takeover that 215 schools had been identified by “intelligence agencies” that were “found to be directly or indirectly affiliated with proscribed organisation Jamaat-e-Islami (Jel)”.Former chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti condemned the decision, saying Kashmiris voted the National Conference (NC) to office in the 2024 assembly elections to safeguard their interests, but the party has instead targeted schools that provided quality education in J&K.Her daughter Iltija Mufti said every time NC got a brute majority in J&K, their first target has always been the Jamaat-e-Islami. “Be it 1977 or even today, where they have taken it too far by jeopardising the future of thousands of students, leaving them in distress,” she said.Education minister Sakina Itoo defended the decision, saying the state had not taken over the schools but directed principals of nearby govt schools to “look after” them for three months, after which the order would be reviewed. She said her proposal was altered by the administrative secretary, who inserted “deputy commissioner” and “take over” in the order instead of “nearest principal” and “look after.” The order would be corrected, she said.Administrative secretary Ram Niwas Sharma did not respond to calls for comment.I too stressed that the decision was taken to safeguard the interests of the students and teachers. Intelligence agencies had given an adverse report on these schools eight years ago, leading to their deregistration. The latest order, she said, was meant to ensure that 55,000 students of these schools continue their education and teachers remain employed.Rejecting the criticism of political opponents, she said: “Where were they all these eight years when students and teachers of these schools were suffering because of deregistration?”Responding to the minister’s statement, PDP legislator Waheed Parra challenged her to “come clean and make her original proposal public for everyone to see”. Peoples Conference, Apni Party and Awami Ittehad Party also condemned the govt move.BJP, however, welcomed the decision to assume control of Jamaat schools. Altaf Thakur, the party’s J&K spokesman, called it a “much-needed intervention to ensure that young minds are shielded from separatist narratives”. It was “a bold decision”, Thakur said, alleging that these schools were a source of “separatism and terrorism” in J&K.The central govt had banned JeI in Feb 2019 under UAPA and declared it an unlawful association. Since then, authorities have carried out several crackdowns against the group.However, in last year’s assembly elections in J&K, several candidates affiliated with JeI contested under the banner of the Justice and Development Front (JDF), indicating the group’s return to electoral politics after a 35-year poll boycott. The JDF has now aligned with Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference.
