The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday banned the separatist party Tehreek-e-Hurriayt (TeH) Jammu and Kashmir as an “unlawful association” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) for five years. The ministry says the ban was imposed in response to TeH’s engagement in “fomenting terrorism” and disseminating “anti-India propaganda” in the region of Jammu and Kashmir.

TeH was founded by late separatist leaders Syed Shah Geelani and Mohammad Ashraf Sehrai in August 2004 after Geelani quit his former party, Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir, which was banned in 2019 by the Indian government. Geelani had been mostly kept under house arrest due to his hardline views following a period of unrest in 2010. Geelani was succeeded by Masarat Alam Bhat as the party’s leader. Sehari died in May 2021 while in police custody, and Geelani breathed his last under house arrest in September 2021.

The ban has been implemented on charges of “fueling secessionist activities” in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. MHA’s notification states that the leaders and members of the TeH have been involved in raising funds for perpetrating terrorism “through various sources[,] including Pakistan and its proxy organizations.” The notification claimed the faction’s activities have been detrimental to the integrity, sovereignty, and harmony of India. Based on these grounds, the government exercised its authority, as conferred by section 3 (1) of UAPA, to declare TeH an “unlawful association.”

UAPA empowers the government to designate organizations and individuals as terrorists based.

Announcing the decision Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah said in a post on X:

The outfit is involved in forbidden activities to separate J&K from India and establish Islamic rule. The group is found spreading anti-India propaganda and continuing terror activities to fuel secessionism in J&K.

Under PM Narendra Modi,  zero-tolerance policy against terrorism, any individual or organization found involved in anti-India activities will be thwarted forthwith.

On December 27, MHA imposed a similar ban on the Masarat Alam faction of the Jammu and Kashmir Muslim League (MLJK-MA) for five years for its “anti-national and secessionist activities” in Jammu and Kashmir.