New Delhi: As the once-dominant separatist ideology in Jammu and Kashmir continues to dwindle, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has highlighted a significant shift in the region’s political landscape. Two more groups, J&K Tahreeqi Isteqlal and J&K Tahreek-I-Istiqamat, have formally renounced separatism, aligning themselves with the vision of a unified India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This development marks another step in what Shah describes as the fading of separatism in Kashmir.
In recent days, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a series of defections from separatist groups. Earlier this week, JK People’s Movement (JKPM) and Democratic Political Movement (DPM) also severed their ties with the Hurriyat Conference, a key separatist umbrella organization in the region. The decision by these groups underscores a broader trend where separatism is losing traction.
Advocate Mohammad Shafi Reshi, the chairman of DPM, once closely associated with the late hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, has now pledged allegiance to the Indian Constitution. Similarly, Mohammad Shahid Mir, the chairman of JKPM, has denounced separatism. This shift is notable given the lineage of these individuals within the separatist movement.
The Hurriyat Conference, which once spearheaded the separatist movement in J&K, has been significantly weakened. It is split into two main factions: the Mirwaiz faction led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the Geelani faction now led by Masarat Alam Bhat. Since the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A in August 2019 and the subsequent division of J&K into two Union Territories, the Hurriyat Conference has become largely inactive. This backdrop forms the context for these groups’ decision to abandon their separatist stance.
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