Srinagar, February 08: Kashmir’s grand old religious-cum-political outfit Jamaat-i-Islami, which is the parent party of Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Shah Geelani, on Monday said that the propagation of religion, and not the pursuit of politics and power, is its primary concern, and hence, the struggle for Azadi is secondary for it.
“Jamaat was primarily founded for the propagation of religion. Our first duty is to fulfil this obligation. Resolution of Kashmir is secondary for us,” Jamaat Amir Sheikh Ghulam Hassan told.
“However, as a party we have to respond to the evolving situation and day-to-day problems. Kashmir is one such problem and we seek its peaceful settlement,” he added.
The Jamaat’s assertion is significant, as it seems to dissociate itself from the separatist narrative, despite being at the forefront of political groundwork for the separatist movement in 1989. Now Jamaat’s leaders are seen addressing only religious gatherings.
Hassan said there was no ban on the propagation of religion. “We can continue with our primary job of spreading the message of Islam. The Constitution of India doesn’t bar it. Otherwise, how could Jamaat-i-Islami, Hind, function in this country?,” he said.
Significantly, he also distanced his party from the hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference, led by Geelani. “We are not part of any Hurriyat faction. We don’t want to be one,” Hassan said.
He said Jamaat would want a unified separatist leadership and not a situation where leaders ply their own agenda and politics. “Let all factions come under one umbrella and formulate a common approach on Kashmir. We would like to be a part of such a formation,” he added.
-Agencies