The Union home ministry on Thursday banned the Jammu and Kashmir chapter of the Jamaat-e-Islami, a socio-religious organisation, for five years for allegedly indulging in activities “prejudicial to internal security and public order” and said the group has the potential of “disrupting the unity and integrity” of the country.

In a notification, the ministry said the Jamaat was in close touch with militant outfits and was supporting extremism and militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. The notification also accused the organisation of supporting claims for secession of a part of the Indian territory and supporting terrorist and separatist groups fighting for this purpose.

The notification said if unlawful activities of the Jamaat were not curbed and controlled immediately, the group is likely to escalate its subversive activities, propagate anti-national and separatist sentiments and continue inciting violence in the country.

“The Central Government is also of the opinion that having regard to the activities of the JeI, it is necessary to declare the JeI to be an unlawful association with immediate effect,” the notification said, declaring the Jamaat as unlawful organisation for five years.

Last Saturday, the Jammu and Kashmir police had detained at-least 150 top Jamaat leaders including its Kashmir chief Abdul Hamid Fayaz, its spokesperson Zahid Ali and former secretary Ghulam Qadir Lone. In a statement, the Jamaat-e-Islami had termed the arrests a “well-designed conspiracy to pave way for further uncertainty in the region”.

First Published: Mar 01, 2019 01:39 IST