News Analysis: Another blow to separatism?

Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s Tuesday’s announcement that more separatist organisations in the Kashmir valley have disassociated themselves from the Hurriyat Conference takes to 11 the total number of such outfits who have shunned separatism in the recent past. He described the development as a “prominent demonstration of the people’s trust in the Constitution of India within the Valley”.

The outfits

These three outfits are Jammu Kashmir Islamic Political Party, Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Democratic League, and Kashmir Freedom Front. In the Valley, however, these groups are not much known and were mostly run by individuals who were earlier associated with separatism.

The move comes at a time when the police have struck hard at several proscribed organisations and have been conducting raids across the Kashmir valley.

Impact on Hurriyat

After the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, the Centre had sent most of the separatist leaders to various jails. Of the two major Hurriyat factions, leaders associated with the late Syed Ali Shah Geelani (now Masrat Alam) are behind bars. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who heads the moderate faction, has also mostly remained under house arrest all these years. Leaders of his faction have not issued any statement on the recent developments.

In October last year, Mirwaiz held an “informal” meeting with his associates after five years. There has been no such meeting since. The Hurriyat has been virtually defunct and these three outfits ending their association with it does not hold much significance.

End of separatism?

Since the Union Government intensified its crackdown on separatist activities following the abrogation of Article 370 and banned a number of outfits, several separatist leaders and even their family members have publicly disassociated themselves from the movement.

As pressure continues to mount, there is hardly any room left for separatist politics.

Message from Centre

The Centre intends to continue its tough stand against separatism.

“The BJP continues to reinforce its narrative that Article 370 was the root cause of the problems in Kashmir. According to this view, the abrogation has led to improvement in the region, including a decline in separatist sentiment. They suggest that progress is underway and that separatism is weakening,” says Srinagar-based Prof Noor Baba.

There is little to suggest that the Central government will change its tough position on what it refers to as separatist politics and initiate any sort of dialogue soon, he adds.

J & K