As Jamaat rift in Kashmir widens, Mirwaiz and PDP pick sides

A widening split within the banned Jamaat-e-Islami has made headlines, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq aligning with former Jamaat chief Ghulam Mohammad Bhat in his conflict against the Justice and Development Front (JDF). The dispute revolves around who truly represents the Jamaat and its legacy, as well as the control of its properties and institutions.

The controversy has increasingly found its way onto social media, drawing in a range of political and religious figures. Bhat, who held the Jamaat leadership position for three terms, has distanced the banned group from the JDF and accused the "political front" of seizing Jamaat properties, many of which have been seized by the government under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

In a video statement, Bhat clarified that the Jamaat had acquiesced to the government's ban but reserved the right to contest it in court. He also claimed that the JDF had seized control of the Jamaat's Srinagar office and questioned why the JDF had turned it into a political hub while the organization was primarily devoted to education.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti responded to Bhat's comments, stating that the government must obey the law and that the Jamaat leadership had committed to respecting the judicial decision and challenging the ban through the appropriate legal channels. The PDP's stance drew a robust reaction from the JDF, which accused the PDP of meddling in the organization's affairs.

The JDF's president, Shameem Ahmad Thoker, insisted that the Jamaat leadership and the government-approved panel had rejected the PDP's interference. He further vowed that the "Shura-backed Jamaat panel and the JDF-backed political voice" would continue to push for democratic participation and elections. At the same time, the JDF criticized Bhat's recent claims, with former Jamaat deputy chief Ahmadullah Parray accusing Bhat of raising the issue on social media to stir doubts about the legal proceedings.