Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 26: The former Jamaat-e-Islami members today said that the organization would have contested Assembly elections on around 50 seats had the Government lifted the ban on it.
The spokesman of the former JeI members Shameem Ahmad Thokar today said during an election meeting at Dak Banglow Chekhama in Baramulla district that despite years of participation in democratic processes, including acknowledgment of free and fair Parliamentary election, JeI continues to face restrictions.
“Had the Centre lifted the ban on our activities, we would have contested around 50 seats in Jammu and Kashmir”, he said.
Thokar said that there is no confusion within the Jamaat, and everyone is carrying out their assigned tasks as per the given instructions. “However, the environment of fear and threats persists, and people are not openly coming forward. Despite this, those assigned duties are performing them accordingly,” he said.
The spokesman said that the rumours are being spread that those who vote for or support the Jamaat will be targeted to create an atmosphere of fear. “We condemn such actions, but we want to tell our supporters to come forward without any fear,” he said.
“We want the Kashmir issue, as well as other issues, to be resolved through dialogue, with all stakeholders sitting at the table. We are fighting both for the people and for the lifting of the ban on the JeI,” he said.
Another former JeI leader Qaleemullah told the gathering that participating in elections is not new to the organization. “We participated in 1969, 1970, 1972, 1977, 1982, and 1987, and we were assured that the elections would be free and fair, so we proceeded. I want to congratulate the Election Commission of India because the last parliamentary elections were conducted without any discrepancies, and we believe in their integrity. That’s why we decided to participate,” he said.
“We tested Indian democracy in the last parliamentary elections, and I say with confidence that the ECI deserves to be congratulated for conducting the elections fairly and transparently. Considering this, we wanted to contest the elections as a party, but the ban was not lifted. Our homes were raided, but nothing illegal was found-neither illicit money nor weapons,” he said.
The former JeI leader said that around 80,000 and 100,000 of children of the banned organization have been affected. “I want to ask, did they recover any illegal money or weapons from any of our school accounts? We were targeted for spreading religion and morality among the people. If the ban had been lifted, we would have contested 50 seats. Instead, we decided to support 10 Independent candidates so they could speak out about the injustices done to us. No one is addressing our ban and arrests,” he said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
