Government Seizes Control of JeI-Linked Schools in Kashmir

The Jammu and Kashmir government has taken over 58 schools linked to the banned Jamaat-e-Islami's Falah-e-Aam Trust. This move follows the management takeover of 215 schools last year, aimed at securing students' academic futures, amid expired managing committees and intelligence reports of adverse affiliations.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has seized control of 58 schools associated with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in the Kashmir valley. These schools were linked, directly or indirectly, to the JeI's Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT), according to local officials.

This recent action is part of a broader initiative that began last August when the government assumed management of 215 schools affiliated with the prohibited group across ten districts. The move aims to ensure the academic stability of students, as the validity of the schools' managing committees had expired.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has listed JeI as a proscribed organization under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a decision reiterated as recently as February 2024. Intelligence assessments have prompted the removal of these schools' existing management, transferring control to district magistrates pending the establishment of new committees.

(With inputs from agencies.)