E-Paper
J&K govt to take over 215 pvt schools affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami
The order, issued by the commissioner secretary J&K government, Ram Niwas Sharma, read, “215 FAT-run (Falah e Aam Trust) schools (run by Jamaat-e-Islami J&K) will be taken over by the government”
The J&K government on Friday released an order to takeover the management of 215 private schools affiliated with Falah-e-Aam Trust which is part of banned Jamaat-e-Islamia.
The order, issued by the commissioner secretary J&K government, Ram Niwas Sharma, read, “215 FAT-run (Falah e Aam Trust) schools (run by Jamaat-e-Islami J&K) will be taken over by the government.”
“Whereas, the intelligence agencies have identified a number of schools which were found to be directly or indirectly affiliated with proscribed organisation Jamat-e-Islami (Jel)/ Falah-e-Aa, Trust (FAT). Whereas, the validity of the managing committee of 215 such schools has expired/ have been reported adversely upon by the Intelligence Agencies. Now therefore, in view of the above and in order to safeguard the academic future of the students enrolled in these schools in exercise of the powers conferred by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir through the Jammu and Kashmir school Education rules of 2010 notified vide SRO 123 of 2010 read with SRO 292 of 2018 and SO 177 of 2022, it is hereby ordered that 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,” reads the order.
The order further said that the deputy commissioners, after due verification, will nominate fresh managing bodies for the concerned schools in due course.
Thousands of students mostly from poor families are enrolled in these schools across Kashmir Valley. This isn’t the first time FAT schools affiliated with Jamaat e Islami have been banned or taken over by government. Around three decades ago, the government had banned Jamaat run schools and adjusted all the teachers in government schools. Jamaat has already been banned and its assets attached across J&K especially after abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
The Centre had in 2019 imposed a five-year ban on Jamaat, citing the outfit’s ties with terrorist groups. It had first been banned in 1975 and again in 1990, at the beginning of the militancy in Kashmir. In Lok Sabha polls, many Jamaat supporters had voted, however, for the first time after 1987 in last assembly polls Jamaat backed candidates contested elections as Independent candidates.
Peoples Conference chairman and legislator Handwara Sajjad Lone blames Omar Abdullah government for passing this order. “215 schools forcibly taken over by the J&K government. And no prizes for guessing. The elected government has passed the order. Shame and shamelessness have assumed new meanings in this government. They are setting new standards in servility. And just to recall the sermons the edicts that this party passed against their opponents. Be under no illusions. 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 wrote on X.
