Less than 24 hours after the Jammu and Kashmir Government issued an order to take over the management of 215 schools affiliated with the proscribed Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and its affiliate Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT), the Opposition parties in the Kashmir valley have launched a fresh offensive against the Omar Abdullah-led Government, demanding immediate rollback of the arbitrary order.
The order in this regard was issued by Secretary, School Education Department (SED) Ram Niwas Sharma on Friday with reference to the notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
As per the order, “The Managing Committee of the 215 schools shall be taken over by the District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner concerned who shall propose a fresh Managing Committee in due course for the concerned schools after getting these duly verified”.
Reacting to the order, former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party Chief Mehbooba Mufti strongly condemned the attack on Islamic institutions run by the FAT Trust.
Mufti also demanded the immediate rollback of the arbitrary orders issued by the J and K Government.
Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, Altaf Bukhari said, “It is deeply regrettable that the elected government has today enforced the ban on Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT) schools by announcing the takeover of the management of 215 schools”.
“Although Jamaat-e-Islami has been banned since 2019, the LG administration refrained from taking over the management of FAT schools. Yet, the elected Government, despite enjoying a strong public mandate, has chosen to do so. Enforcing a ban in terms of taking over the management of these schools was neither necessary nor justified, Bukhari added.
Earlier, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, on February 28, 2019, and again on February 27, 2024, declared the Jel as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
“The Intelligence Agencies have identified several schools which were found to be directly or indirectly affiliated with proscribed organisation Jamat-e-Islami (Jel)/Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT),” the order said.
Interestingly, the Education Minister, Sakina Ittoo, washed her hands after the order was issued, claiming the file approved by me had clearly mentioned that the principal of the nearby higher secondary school would look after these institutions. But in the order issued on Friday, it has been wrongly mentioned that DCs will take over the managing committee. This is not mentioned in the file approved by me,” the Education Minister said.
The education minister said that after the NC government was formed, parents and teachers approached with the concern that the career of their kids were at stake as the verification of the managing committee of around 221 schools was not given by the CID.
“The verification of the managing committees of these schools was negative and was kept pending. This created a problem for the students at the time of their registration for the 9th to 12th exams. Their forms were not issued by the Board of School Education,” Itoo said.
She said that around 51,363 students were enrolled in these schools whose careers were at stake, as the validity of the managing committee of FAT schools had already expired.
“To save the career of the children, we decided that the principal of the nearest higher secondary school will look after these FAT schools as in-charge of these schools,” Itoo said.
However, she said that the teachers, students, and the buildings would be the same, while the principal of the nearest higher secondary school would look after these institutions.
On ground zero, teams from the district administration and police visited several schools across the valley on Saturday and took over their management in the presence of security forces.
On the other hand, Peoples Conference president and MLA Sajad Lone termed the government’s move a “blatant display of political overreach and servility.”
“215 schools forcibly taken over by the J and K Government. And no prizes for guessing. The elected Government has passed the order,” Lone said. “Shame and shamelessness have assumed new meanings in this Government. They are setting new standards in servility.”
Lone said this elected government is a party to all acts undertaken. “Be it mailings or termination of employees, they are equal partners. They have been equal partners in the past. And they will be equal partners in the future.” “This is the A team. This was always the A team,” he added.