From Declaring Elections Haram to Praising Democracy: Jamat-e-Islami’s Political U-Turn Raises Serious Questions in Kashmir

 

By ANN News Desk

 

 

 

 

 

Once the most hardline group opposing India’s democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir, the now-banned Jamat-e-Islami (JeI) has made a stunning political U-turn—openly expressing support for elections and encouraging its cadre to participate in the democratic process it once called “haram” (forbidden). This shift has triggered outrage and reopened painful memories for thousands of families who lost loved ones during the JeI-backed violent campaign against electoral participation from the 1990s to 2020.

 

From the early 1990s, Jamat-e-Islami not only rejected the idea of elections but also actively targeted those who participated in them. Sarpanches, political workers, teachers, and even civilians suspected of casting votes were shot dead, intimidated, or forced to flee. JeI militants and their armed wing, including its close ideological and logistical links with Hizbul Mujahideen, led a reign of terror in villages and towns across the Kashmir Valley.

• In 1996, Mohammad Yousuf, a political activist in South Kashmir, was dragged out of his home and shot in front of his children for participating in Panchayat elections.
• In 2002, Shamima Begum, a schoolteacher in Kupwara, was gunned down on her way to school because she was part of the local election commission.
• Between 2011–2014, scores of elected Panchayat members were either killed or forced to resign in public under death threats, particularly in areas like Tral, Shopian, and Pulwama—strongholds of JeI ideology.

 

JeI’s youth wing, once headquartered in Batamaloo, Srinagar, functioned as a propaganda hub. Here, young boys and girls were reportedly brainwashed with fiery speeches against India, elections, and democracy. Numerous booklets and pamphlets were published labeling elections as a betrayal of Islam and advocating the establishment of an Islamic state through armed resistance.

These materials were distributed in mosques, madrasas, and even colleges, poisoning the minds of youth and fueling militancy for decades.

 

Fast forward to 2025, the very same organization—though officially banned—has quietly begun supporting electoral politics. Former JeI members and sympathizers are now seen joining or backing political parties, participating in rallies, and even contesting upcoming elections under different banners.

Public memory, however, is not so short. Survivors and families of victims are asking:

“Who will be held accountable for the hundreds of innocent people killed just for believing in democracy?”

One former Sarpanch from Pulwama said, “I lost my brother and cousin to bullets because they filed nominations for local elections. Today, I see the same ideology praising the system they once bled us for believing in. This is not just hypocrisy—it’s a mockery of our pain.”

 

 

While democratic engagement is welcome, many civil society groups and victim families argue that before JeI or its affiliates rejoin the political mainstream, there must be an open truth and reconciliation process. Accountability must be ensured. The history of violence cannot be erased simply by political statements or rebranding.

The question remains:

Can those with blood on their hands be allowed to walk back into democracy without justice?