Srinagar: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that as the spirit of unity rules Jammu and Kashmir under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 12 groups have rejected the separatist Hurriyat Conference and pledged loyalty to the Constitution.
Amit Shah said on X, “Under the Modi govt the spirit of unity rules J&K. Another Hurriyat affiliate organization, Jammu and Kashmir Mass Movement, has rejected separatism, declaring complete commitment to the unity of Bharat.”
He said the move was a welcome step. “I sincerely welcome their move. Till now as many as , resting trust in the Constitution of India. This is a victory of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji’s vision for Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.”
It must be mentioned that after August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated, the separatist Hurriyat Conference literally became defunct.
In the past, this conglomerate of 26 organisations/groups formed in 1993, gave protest shutdown calls, observance of black days on the country’s Independence Day and the Republic Day, and also complete shutdown on the visit of any minister or the Prime Minister to Kashmir Valley.
The Hurriyat Conference was formed purportedly to give a political platform to armed insurgency.
The Hurriyat split into two groups in 2003, the hardline group headed by Pro-Pakistan, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and the moderate group advocating plebiscite for joining Pakistan or remaining independent, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Even the high court bar association and the association of government employees were also members of the Hurriyat Conference at one point of time.
Both groups of Hurriyat were separatist and were declared unlawful by the Government of India.
After Jammu and Kashmir came under the Central rule, the Hurriyat Conference became defunct.
The Hurriyat has neither called for a shutdown nor bandhs against the visit of VVIPs to the Valley after August 5, 2019. The stone pleting sessions have also come to an end.
Over the years, as the Hurriyat Conference faced indifference from the common people, its constituent groups/organisations also realised the situation and one by one are declaring their dissociation. So far, 12 have pledged allegiance to the Consitution.
(IANS)
