Govt constitutes tribunal to adjudicate if Tehreek-e-Hurriyat should be declared banned outfit

New Delhi, Jan 16 (PTI) The Centre on Tuesday set up a tribunal consisting of a Delhi High Court judge to adjudicate if there is sufficient ground for declaring pro-Pakistan separatist Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Jammu and Kashmir, as an unlawful association.

The Jammu and Kashmir-based group, founded by deceased separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was declared outlawed by the government on December 31 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, for five years.

In a notification, the Union Home Ministry said exercising the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 5 read with sub-section (1) of section 4 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, (37 of 1967), the Central government constituted the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal consisting of Justice Sachin Datta, Judge, High Court of Delhi, for the purpose of adjudicating whether or not there is sufficient cause for declaring the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH), Jammu and Kashmir, as an unlawful association.

The organisation was declared banned as it has been fomenting terrorism and spreading anti-India propaganda in the Union territory.

While imposing the ban on the separatist amalgam, the Union Home Ministry had said it is known for its involvement in fomenting terrorism and anti-India propaganda for fulling the secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. The TeH’s objective is to separate Jammu and Kashmir from India and establish Islamic rule in Jammu and Kashmir.

The ministry said the leaders and members of the TeH have been involved in raising funds through various sources, including Pakistan and its proxy organisations, for perpetrating unlawful activities, including supporting terrorist activities and sustained stone-pelting on the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir.

The ministry said the TeH and its members by their activities show sheer disrespect towards the constitutional authority and constitutional set up of the country.

The TeH members are also paying tributes to the terrorists, who were killed in encounters with the security forces and its members have been involved in supporting terrorist activities with an intent to create a reign of terror in the country, thereby endangering the security and public order of the state, the notification said.

The home ministry said the TeH and its leaders and members have been indulging in unlawful activities, which are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty, security and communal harmony of the country, adding the group never believed in a democratic system of governance and its leadership gave repeated calls to boycott the assembly elections on multiple occasions.