Amid Opposition protest, J&K takes control of 215 schools linked to banned Jamaat-e-Islami

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday took over the management of 215 schools affiliated to the banned Jamaat-e-Islami amid criticism from Opposition parties, The Hindu reported.

Special teams comprising revenue officials, police personnel and principals from government schools took over the functioning of several schools in 10 districts of the Kashmir valley, unidentified officials said.

The takeover of the schools run by the Falah-e-Aam Trust, an educational body linked to the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir, had been announced by the government in the Union Territory on Friday. The Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir was banned in 2019 under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for allegedly fueling secessionism in the Union Territory.

The validity of the managing committee of the 215 schools had expired, an order said, adding that the institutions had also “been reported adversely upon by the intelligence agencies”, The Hindu reported.

“In order to safeguard the academic future of the students enrolled in these schools, it is hereby ordered that the managing committee of the 215 schools shall be taken over by the district magistrate or deputy commissioner concerned,” the newspaper quoted an order issued by the Jammu and Kashmir School Education Department as saying.

The district magistrates or deputy commissioners would propose a fresh managing committee, the order added.

Jammu and Kashmir Education Minister Sakina Ittoo, however, said that principals from government schools...

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