Tie-Up With Er. Rashid, Leaders in Fray: Is Jamaat-e-Islami Set for a Comeback?

Engineer Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party has announced an alliance with candidates backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami.

(Engineer Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party has announced an alliance with the candidates backed by Jamaat-e-Islami)

(Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

In what is being considered a major development in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party on Sunday announced a pre-poll alliance with former leaders of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir .

Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, has been in jail since August 2019 in connection with a terror-funding case being probed by the National Investigation Agency. His political fortunes have been on the rise since he defeated former CM Omar Abdullah by over two lakh votes in the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year.

This move brings focus on the Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) and its political strategy in the ongoing Assembly elections. The outfit, which was banned in 2019, has so far given support to four Independent candidates in Kulgam, Pulwama, Devsar and Zainapora in South Kashmir. This is a major departure from its past track record as it has stayed away from electoral politics for the past 37 years. In fact during this period, the Jamaat was one of the leading organisations enforcing calls for boycotting elections.

So what is the Jamaat's strategy in these elections? Is it getting popular support? How is it campaigning despite being banned? Are there differences within the Jamaat on contesting elections? And what does its alliance with Engineer Rashid's party mean for the elections?

We will try and answer these questions in this ground report.

Is Jamaat Getting Popular Support?

Nestled amid apple orchards, the village of Lonepora in Kashmir's Bugam, about 65 km from Srinagar, witnessed its first major election rally on 8 September, 2024. Four independent candidates backed by the Jamaat were present among hundreds of men, women, and children who made their way to the dusty playground of the Government Higher Secondary School.

Children wearing T-shirts with posters of JEI candidates pasted on them seemed excited. An 8-year-old boy's T-shirt featured Sayyar Ahmad Reshi, an independent candidate contesting from the Kulgam constituency and the text on the T-shirt read 'VOTE FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY'.

“I cannot vote for Sayyar sir myself, but my family will,” said a 14-year-old girl at the rally.

Reshi, 42 who has worked as a Lecturer and an Assistant Director Falah Alam Trust is up against CPI-M leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, who has won the past four elections from Kulgam.

There are ten candidates in the fray in all and the competition is said to be tough.

Addressing the crowd, Ghulam Qadir Lone, head of JEI’s Shura (leadership panel) said, “In recent years, a lot has changed in Kashmir. Crimes have increased, and there is an epidemic of drugs. Even though the government tried to stop it with money and control, it made little impact,” he said, adding that JEI seeks to “engage with youth with love, and not force,” to prevent them from "being lost in this epidemic".

The JEI-backed candidates are getting some support on the ground, especially due to the dissatisfaction with the traditional parties like National Conference and PDP.

“Before someone comes to power, they make promises. But after they are in power, they become invisible. We want someone who walks the talk. We’ve had enough broken promises in the past. Deciding who to vote for is not easy.”

Jameela Bano, 55, from Kulgam

Some of the women in the rally were eager to participate in assembly elections after such a long gap.

“I finished my chores at home and came to attend this rally with my daughter,” said Haleema Jan, 35, who had covered her face to shield herself from the scorching heat.

She added that plans to vote this time.

“I was a child when I saw conflict in Kashmir. We don’t want to see any more violence. We just hope there is some positive change. I will vote for those who have sacrificed so much here,” she said, adding that this time, she will vote for a Jamaat candidate.

Campaigning Despite a Ban

The Centre banned Jamaat-e-Islami J&K on February 28, 2019, following a suicide attack on an Indian paramilitary convoy in Pulwama that killed 40 personnel. The Modi government declared the organisation as “unlawful” for allegedly being in close contact with “militant groups and supporting extremism and militancy.” The ban was extended in February 2024.

Since 2019, many of its leaders have been in jail. In December 2022, the State Investigation Agency (SIA) seized properties worth ₹122.89 crore allegedly associated with the JEI, including land in Kulgam, Pulwama, Budgam, and Srinagar, and the residence of late Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

On February 10, 2024, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided 15 locations in Kashmir, including the home of one of the candidates who is now a contestant in the elections.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration also banned a network of schools run by Jamaat-e-Islami, citing allegations of fraud and large-scale encroachment on government land. These schools were operated under the Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT), which oversees around 300 schools across the state.

A Jamaat supporter from Shopian, speaking anonymously, said, “Since 2019, we’ve been treated like criminals. It’s not just us but our families who have faced harassment almost every month. All we wanted was to support people morally and make them aware of their religious and social rights.”

The outfit claims that had the ban been lifted, its campaign in the elections would have been much stronger.

“We’ve had very little time, but we now know how to proceed with phases 2 and 3 in the remaining constituencies,” said a member anonymously.

He added that the organisation is still holding closed-door meetings with its cadres.

“We are encouraging them to engage with their families, relatives, and especially women, to support our candidates. We are planning roadshows in the coming days since time is short. But we will shift our focus to Central and North Kashmir and work harder on the campaign here,” he said.

He also mentioned that although the organisation managed to hold a rally in Kulgam, “most of our cadres from other parts of Kashmir couldn’t participate or mobilise people due to administrative restrictions.”

He added that the restrictions from administration are preventing them from holding large rallies like other parties, and it is difficult to get permission from the administration.

“By doing this, the administration will only scare people, and it will be hard for our cadre to cope with it this time. The public will perceive it negatively and be afraid to join our rallies,” he said.

Jamaat's Strategy: Women's Issues, Public Outreach

Sources told The Quint that the organisation is planning to activate Jamaat's women’s wing, which addresses issues faced by women and interacts with them to gain their support.

“If we win, we will support women who are victims of domestic violence. We will rehabilitate them, and our candidates will help them with court cases. We will also assist their children in getting an education. We want to reach out to underprivileged families and help poor women with marriage and education,” Shameem Ahmad Thokar, JEI's chief election in-charge told The Quint.

“In fact, in our manifesto, our goal is to focus more on women and youth. Unfortunately, the ban wasn’t lifted, which weakened our organisation,” he added.

Speaking anonymously, a Jamaat campaigner said, “Jamaat is not here just for a win or loss. It wants to show that it exists and engage with the public, who have many questions.”

He added that the organisation has no resources like other parties, “but is working hard to make an impact on ground,” he said.

Dr. Talat Majeed, a former JEI member, filed his nomination as an independent candidate for the Pulwama Assembly constituency. Having previously served as an Agriculture Assistant from 2016-2023, he faces strong opposition from mainstream parties like the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party. "There is a political vacuum in Kashmir that needs to be filled. We’ve seen only broken promises from leaders. We want to connect with people on the ground,” he told The Quint, adding that one of his goals is to “engage with the youth and assure them of safety.”

He also expressed his desire for the return of Kashmiri Pandits, stating, “Jamaat would assure their safety in Kashmir.”

However, according to sources, the decision to participate in the elections wasn't a unanimous one for the Jamaat.

Apparently, the call was taken without broader consensus among the cadre.

“Participation wasn’t a collective choice, and not everyone’s opinion was considered,” said one supporter from Anantnag, adding that the “move may backfire against the organisation.”

The Alliance With Engineer Rashid and Allegations of Being BJP's "Proxies"

On Wednesday, Engineer Rashid walked out of Delhi’s Tihar Jail, a day after the Patiala House Court granted him bail till 2 October to campaign for the Assembly elections.

He has been attracting huge crowds during his campaigning in southern Kashmir which is going to polls on 18 September.

The alliance with Jamaat-backed candidates is making him look like a stronger player.

"This could pose a challenge to the mainstream leaders, as there is significant resentment among the people toward their past political actions in Kashmir. It's a development that may benefit Jamaat as well, especially after Engineer Rashid's release on bail. This is getting widespread public support," said a political analyst.

Jammu: Independent MLA Engineer Rashid. (FILE Photo: IANS)

Leaders of Jammu and Kashmir’s main political parties, such as Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, have voiced concerns over the rising influence of independent candidates, accusing them to be proxies for the BJP or a trick to prevent the regional parties and the Congress from getting a clear majority.

While Abdullah has said the BJP is planning to “strike a deal with Independents” and smaller political outfits after the election, Mehbooba Mufti alleged that jailed Engineer Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party is a “proxy” of the BJP

The entry of Jamaat-backed Independents, too is being seen in the same context.

“There is indeed a lot of suspicion as so many independent candidates are in the fray. Jamaat's participation could be out of genuine concern of rehabilitation as it has gone through extreme challenges in the past,” said Noor Ahmad Baba, a political analyst.

He told The Quint that there are also questions on whether the move to participate in elections has been done with official patronage or it stems out of a genuine desire to safeguard their interests while coming into the mainstream.

“Having so many independent already is fishy as this fragmentation is going to make things uncertain,” he said

Both Engineer Rashid and Jamaat have flatly denied being backed by the BJP and said that the leaders of the traditional political parties need to look at their own track record.