Background
On August 23, 2025, the Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir government announced the takeover of 215 private schools, including 80 in Baramulla,37 in Anantang and 6 in Bandipora[1], where more than 51,000 students are enrolled.[2] These schools were operated and affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) and the Falah-e-Aam Trust. On February 28, 2019, and again on February 27, 2024, under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the government designated Jamaat-e-Islami as an “illicit organisation”[3] because it was allegedly involved in separatist movements, had ties to so-called militant organisations like Hizbul Mujahideen, and sought to compromise India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Authorities claimed that the group was soliciting funds to allegedly support terrorism and disrupting public order. On the pretext of these allegations, the government seized the organisation’s assets, offices and froze their bank accounts.[4]
