Tribunal Formed to Assess Tehreek-e-Hurriyat’s Unlawful Activities

The Central government has established a tribunal, led by Delhi High Court Judge Justice Sachin Datta, to determine whether Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) should be declared an unlawful association. The Jammu and Kashmir-based group, founded by the late Syed Ali Shah Geelani, was officially outlawed on December 31, 2023, for a duration of five years, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The Union Home Ministry, through a notification, invoked the relevant sections of the Act, empowering the tribunal to assess if there are sufficient grounds for branding TeH as an unlawful association. The government’s decision to ban the group was based on concerns about its involvement in promoting terrorism, anti-India propaganda, and its avowed objective to separate Jammu and Kashmir from India, advocating the establishment of Islamic rule in the region.

According to the ministry, TeH leaders and members have been implicated in raising funds from various sources, including Pakistan and its proxies, to support unlawful activities such as terrorism and sustained stone-pelting on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. The notification further highlights the group’s alleged disrespect for the constitutional authority and setup of the country.

The Home Ministry asserts that TeH and its members have been engaged in activities prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty, security, and communal harmony of the country. The group, it claims, has consistently rejected democratic governance, with its leadership openly advocating the boycott of assembly elections on multiple occasions.

This tribunal’s formation signifies a legal process to thoroughly examine TeH’s activities and ascertain the potential threats posed by the group to the security and public order of the state. As the proceedings unfold, the nation awaits the tribunal’s findings and the subsequent actions that may follow in light of this critical evaluation of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat.