NEW DLEHI: The Centre on Sunday designated the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH), Jammu and Kashmir – a separatist outfit founded in 2004 by the late, pro-Pakistan Hurriyat ‘hawk’ Syed Ali Shah Geelani — as an ‘unlawful association’ for a five-year period under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967.
Home minister Amit Shah said TeH is involved in “forbidden activities to separate J&K from India and establish Islamic rule in the Union territory”.“The group is found spreading anti-India propaganda and continuing terror activities to fuel secessionism in J&K,” he posted on X.
Shah warned that “any individual or organization found involved in anti-India activities will be thwarted forthwith” as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s zero-tolerance policy against terrorism.

The ban on TeH, currently led by the incarcerated organiser of the stone-pelting protests of 2010 Masarat Alam Bhat, comes days after another group led by him, the Jammu and Kashmir Muslim League was labelled an “unlawful association” under UAPA.
An MHA notification proscribing TeH said it “has been involved in fomenting terrorism and anti-India propaganda for fuelling secessionism in Jammu and Kashmir, which is prejudicial to the sovereignty, security and integrity of India”. It added that leaders and members of TeH were involved in raising funds through various sources including Pakistan and its proxy organisations for perpetrating unlawful activities, including supporting terrorist acts and sustained stone-pelting on the security forces in J&K.
The ministry said TeH members were paying tributes to terrorists killed in encounters with the security forces and that its members were involved in supporting terrorist activities “with an intent to create a reign of terror in the country, thereby endangering public order”. “TeH never believed in a democratic system of governance and its leadership gave repeated calls to boycott assembly elections on multiple occasions,” it was stated.
Incidentally, protest calendars issued by TeH chief Geelani in the aftermath of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter in 2016, had caused major protests and shutdowns in J&K.
Many criminal cases have been registered against TeH, whose “leaders and members show sheer disrespect towards the Constitutional authority and set-up of the country through their activities”, said the home ministry. These cases have invoked provisions of the UAPA, Arms Act, Ranbir Penal Code and Indian Penal Code.
Stating that the unlawful activities of TeH, unless curbed, will grant it an opportunity to continue advocating the secession of J&K from the Union of India, sustain its anti-national activities and continue propagating the false narrative and anti-national sentiments among the people of J&K, the home ministry on Sunday said it was declaring JKML-MA as ‘unlawful association’ with immediate effect.