Diplomat Correspondent
Srinagar, (DD): The Jammu and Kashmir government’s decision to take over 215 schools affiliated with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and Falah-e-Aam Trust has triggered sharp criticism from opposition parties, who termed the move politically motivated and detrimental to students’ futures.
People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone accused the government of “servility and double standards,” alleging that the elected dispensation had become a “willing partner” in controversial decisions. “They are setting new standards in shamelessness. The people must not be under any illusion — this government has always been a partner in such acts, past or present,” Lone said.
PDP leader Iltija Mufti said the National Conference had a long history of targeting the Jamaat whenever in power. “Every time NC got a brute majority, its first target was always Jamaat. Today again, they have jeopardised the future of thousands of students,” she remarked, adding that Education Minister Sakina Itoo’s clarification about the order only “deepens the crisis.”
PDP’s Waheed Para stressed that after the abrogation of Article 370, integrating JeI into the democratic process was one of New Delhi’s biggest successes, citing the Jamaat’s participation in the 2024 elections. “What force could not achieve, democracy did. But steps like banning books and taking over schools are knee-jerk reactions that undermine this progress,” Para said, urging the Centre to “uphold constitutional guarantees and give democratic space rather than shut doors on those willing to move beyond the past.”
The government has maintained that the takeover aims to ensure transparency and quality education, but opposition leaders insist it reflects a broader policy of hostility towards Jamaat and risks leaving nearly 51,000 students in uncertainty(DD)