India Bans Kashmir’s Largest Political and Religious Group in Crackdown

India’s Home Ministry has announced a five year ban on the Jama’at-e Islami Kashmir, the largest political and religious group in Kashmir. The group has long protested Indian dominance of Kashmir.

Amid ongoing military tensions between India and Pakistan, the Indian government is engaged in a growing series of crackdowns against groups in Kashmir that are seen as a threat to continued Indian rule.

JeI, in particular, was suspected of being involved in some planned protests in Srinagar. Indeed, in attempting to preempt Friday’s protests, India has arrested around 400 people, and almost all of them are said to be members of the JeI.

Kashmir’s Joint Resistance Leadership condemned the JeI ban as a “dictatorial measure.” India’s Home Ministry, however, insists that they had to crack down on “subversive activities” because they would continue to grow.