The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday banned the separatist celebration Tehreek-e-Hurriayt (TeH) Jammu and Kashmir as an “unlawful association” beneath the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) for 5 years. The ministry says the ban was imposed in response to TeH’s engagement in “fomenting terrorism” and disseminating “anti-India propaganda” within the area of Jammu and Kashmir.

TeH was based by late separatist leaders Syed Shah Geelani and Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai in August 2004 after Geelani stop his former celebration, Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir, which was banned in 2019 by the Indian authorities. Geelani had been largely stored beneath home arrest as a consequence of his hardline views following a interval of unrest in 2010. Geelani was succeeded by Masarat Alam Bhat because the celebration’s chief. Sehari died in May 2021 whereas in police custody, and Geelani breathed his last beneath home arrest in September 2021.

The ban has been carried out on expenses of “fueling secessionist activities” within the state of Jammu and Kashmir. MHA’s notification states that the leaders and members of the TeH have been concerned in elevating funds for perpetrating terrorism “through various sources[,] including Pakistan and its proxy organizations.” The notification claimed the faction’s actions have been detrimental to the integrity, sovereignty, and concord of India. Based on these grounds, the federal government exercised its authority, as conferred by part 3 (1) of UAPA, to declare TeH an “unlawful association.”

UAPA empowers the federal government to designate organizations and people as terrorists primarily based.

Announcing the choice Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah said in a post on X:

The outfit is concerned in forbidden actions to separate J&Ok from India and set up Islamic rule. The group is discovered spreading anti-India propaganda and persevering with terror actions to gas secessionism in J&Ok.

Under PM Narendra Modi,  zero-tolerance coverage in opposition to terrorism, any particular person or group discovered concerned in anti-India actions shall be thwarted forthwith.

On December 27, MHA imposed the same ban on the Masarat Alam faction of the Jammu and Kashmir Muslim League (MLJK-MA) for 5 years for its “anti-national and secessionist activities” in Jammu and Kashmir.