 Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 11: A day after the woman face of the Hurriyat Conference, Farida Behan ji, chairperson of Jammu and Kashmir Mass Movement, rejected secessionism and declared herself a loyal India, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government the spirit of unity rules Jammu and Kashmir.
In a significant shift in Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape, Farida Dar, widely known as Farida Behan Ji and the chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Mass Movement, has publicly disavowed separatism and affirmed her allegiance to India on Thursday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed this development as a testament to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of unity and integration, emphasizing the growing trend of former separatist groups embracing the Indian Constitution.
Shah took to X to comment on the development, stating, “The Modi government has fostered a spirit of unity in J&K. The Jammu and Kashmir Mass Movement has rejected separatism and committed fully to Bharat’s unity. I warmly welcome their decision. To date, 12 Hurriyat-linked groups have abandoned secessionism and placed their trust in India’s Constitution. This reflects the success of PM Modi’s vision for Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.”
Farida Dar, a prominent figure in the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) and one of Kashmir’s most recognized female separatist leaders, formally distanced herself and her organization from all separatist groups, including both factions of the APHC. In a sworn affidavit, she clarified that neither she nor the Jammu and Kashmir Mass Movement has any ties to the APHC or any entities pursuing separatist agendas. She criticized the APHC’s ideology, stating it fails to address the genuine aspirations of Jammu and Kashmir’s people.
“I am a loyal citizen of India,” Dar declared, emphasizing her and her organization’s commitment to the Indian Constitution Farida Behan Ji and the chairperson of the JKMM has publicly disavowed separatism and affirmed her allegiance to India.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed this development as a testament to PM Modi’s vision of unity and integration.
To date, 12 Hurriyat-linked groups have abandoned secessionism and placed their trust in India’s Constitution.
In a sworn affidavit, she clarified that neither she nor the JKMM have any ties to the APHC or any entities pursuing separatist agendas.
Farida Dar has long been a towering figure in Kashmir’s separatist circles. As the head of the Jammu and Kashmir Mass Movement, she played a role in mobilizing women, particularly young female students, toward separatist causes, including anti-India activities. Her organization has faced scrutiny, with several activists arrested for allegedly aiding terrorists through activities like fundraising, acting as couriers, or gathering intelligence. Dar herself has been imprisoned multiple times for her involvement in separatist activities.
Her family has deep ties to militancy. Her brother, Bilal Beg, a self-styled commander of the Jammu-Kashmir Islamic Front, has been operating from Pakistan for years and is linked to bomb blasts in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata. A relative, Hilal Beg, once a commander of the Jammu-Kashmir Students Liberation Front, was killed in a 1996 encounter with security forces in Srinagar.
Dar’s influence in separatist politics was undeniable, earning her recognition among hardline and moderate separatist leaders alike, as well as reported connections with Pakistan’s ISI. She also established an organization focused on providing religious education to girls.
Farida Dar’s decision is part of a larger wave of defections from separatism in Jammu and Kashmir. Over the past few months, 12 Hurriyat-affiliated organizations have renounced secessionist ideologies. Recently, groups such as the Jammu Kashmir Islamic Political Party, Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Democratic League, and Kashmir Freedom Front also severed ties with the Hurriyat Conference, pledging loyalty to India.
This growing alignment with national unity underscores the evolving dynamics in the region, which Shah attributes to the Modi government’s policies aimed at fostering integration and development. |
