Amid reports that the Center may ban both factions of Hurriyat Conference, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat led by hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani removed its signboard at the group's head office in uptown Hyderpora in Srinagar.
The move comes after news that the Hurriyat may get banned on the lines of Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and JKLF, for serious offences of selling MBBS seats in Pakistan to Kashmiri students and using the money to fund terror activities. The ban on the Hurriyat would be under Section 3 (1) of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Under this section of the Act, if the Central government is of the opinion that any association is, or has, become an unlawful association, it may be notified as unlawful.
Eyewitnesses said that the official signboard was removed from the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat office on Sunday evening. Geelani's residence is in the same complex.
However, a senior official said they themselves removed the boards fearing action. “A proposal has been mooted as per the Centre's policy of zero tolerance for terrorism,” he said.
Reacting to media reports of the ban, a moderate faction of the Hurriyat led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq rejected the allegations of separatist conglomerate being involved in terror funding.
“It (Hurriyat selling MBBS seats) is completely unfounded, and can be verified by those students or parents whom we have recommended, many among them being from among economically weak sections,” a statement of the moderate Hurriyat said.
He said the Mirwaiz has all along been giving recommendation letters to students for their benefit who come to him asking for it, for colleges and universities in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Turkey and elsewhere.