People's Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Waheed Parra on Wednesday raised the issue of the Centre’s ban on the Awami Action Committee (AAC), led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and the Jammu and Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM), headed by Masroor Abbas Ansari, in the Assembly.
Making a brief intervention, Parra called for a discussion on the matter and urged the House to intervene to have the ban reversed. He argued that it suppresses political dissent and emphasised the need for dialogue and peaceful means to address issues in Jammu and Kashmir.
PDP legislator Waheed Ur Rehman Parra raises the issue of MHA ban on Mirwaiz Umar Farooq led Awami Action Committee and Masroor Abbas Ansari led Ittehad ul Muslimeen during the question hour in the assembly. pic.twitter.com/KQ5cg6j8QU
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The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has outlawed both organisations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA), citing their involvement in activities that threaten India’s sovereignty. The ban will remain in force for five years.
The AAC, a key separatist group in Kashmir, has been accused of spreading anti-India narratives, raising funds for separatism, and calling for election boycotts. It has also been linked to organising public protests. Several criminal cases, including charges of sedition, unlawful assembly, and inciting violence, have been registered against its members at police stations in Nowhatta, Safakadal, and Kothi Bagh, Srinagar.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against AAC spokesperson Aftab Ahmad Shah and others for alleged anti-national activities.
Similar allegations have been levelled against JKIM, which has been accused of promoting public unrest, encouraging violence, and questioning Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India.
The MHA argues that allowing these organisations to function would disrupt public order, support militancy, and further separatist movements in the region. The ban is part of a broader crackdown on groups accused of separatism and militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
Observers believe that by banning the AAC and JKIM, the Centre has signalled its unwillingness to allow Mirwaiz, the chairman of the now-defunct separatist Hurriyat Conference and considered a moderate, to operate in Kashmir.
Mirwaiz draws influence from his role as the custodian of Jama Masjid, Kashmir’s largest and most revered mosque. However, since the abrogation of Article 370, authorities have often kept the mosque closed for security reasons.
