NEW DELHI: The Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) was deemed an illegal association for a period of five years by the central government on Thursday. The JKDFP was designated as a “Unlawful Association” by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in accordance with Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) 1967. The move, according to the notification, is based on information that the group has been engaged in “anti-national activities since 1998 and its members have always promoted separatism and terrorist acts in India.”By stirring the populace, the members of this organisation hope to turn Kashmir into a distinct Islamic state, endangering India’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity. Numerous criminal proceedings have been filed against this group under the UAPA of 1967, the IPC of 1860, the Arms Act of 1959, and the Ranbir Penal Code of 1932. Shabir Ahmad Shah, a well-known separatist known for his pro-Pakistan and anti-India rhetoric, founded the JKDFP in 1998. The members of the JKDFP have been at the forefront of secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and want to establish a separate Islamic State, according to the MHA notification. Shabir Ahmad Shah had described Kashmir as a “dispute” and rejected any resolution within the parameters of the Indian Constitution. According to the notification, “The leader or members of the JKDFP have been engaged in raising funds through various sources, including Pakistan and its proxy organisations, for perpetrating unlawful activities, including supporting terrorist activities, sustained stone-pelting on Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. The notification also claims that the JKDFP and its members have shown the country’s constitutional authorities and system of government nothing but utter disdain through their actions.
“The JKDFP and its leaders or members, especially its founder Shabir Ahmad Shah, have engaged in illegal actions that are detrimental to the integrity, sovereignty, security, and inter-communal harmony of the nation. Numerous reports have indicated connections between the JKDFP and outlawed terrorist groups, according to the warning. The JKDFP and its members have engaged in violent terrorist activities with the aim of sowing terror throughout the nation, endangering state security and public order. Additionally, the organization’s anti-national activities demonstrate disrespect for the state’s constitutional authority and sovereignty, necessitating prompt action, according to the notification. According to the notification, the JKDFP will use this chance to continue its anti-national activities that are harmful to the territorial integrity, security, and sovereignty of the nation; continue advocating for the secession of Jammu and Kashmir from the Union of India while contesting its admission to the Union of India; escalate its insurrectionary activities, including an attempt to carve out a separate state from India; and continue to engage in other illegal activities.“In light of the circumstances, the Central Government is of the firm opinion that it is necessary to declare the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) as an unlawful association with immediate effect, and as a result, the Central Government hereby directs that this notification shall, subject to any order that may be made under section 4 of the said Act, have immediate effect”
