Srinagar: A local court in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district on Thursday ordered the reopening of Darul Uloom Jamia Siraj-ul-Uloom, an educational institution declared an unlawful entity under the anti-terror law UAPA earlier this year by the administration.
The court of Principal and Session Judge Shopian, Mehmood Ahmad Chowdhary, directed that until the matter is fully adjudicated, the institute be permitted to reopen and resume educational activities.
Speaking to reporters, Advocate S M Iqbal, who represents the institute, said that while the interim relief has been granted, the main case is still ongoing.
“The main trial is still underway, but we filed an interim application because the future and education of children were at stake. Around 1,200 students were studying at Siraj-ul-Uloom, out of whom approximately 400 were residential boarders as this is a boarding and lodging institution,” Iqbal said.
He said the institute submitted that properties were deteriorating and the government had not made proper administrative arrangements.
Until witnesses are examined and the trial concludes that unlawful activity was going on at Siraj-ul-Uloom, the institute should not remain locked, he said.
“It will take time to prove that everything complies fully with the Constitution of India and no unlawful acts were committed,” Iqbal noted.
The advocate said that the Judge observed that the government’s material at this prima facie stage is not sufficient to justify keeping the entire institution completely shut.
“The court found that excessive power had been exercised relative to the allegations made,” he added.
However, he said that the reopening of the institution comes with a condition that the government has to constitute a three-member supervisory committee to supervise the operations.
The court has also instructed that wide publicity be given through newspapers and media so that any students who left – whether they obtained admission elsewhere or not – can return without any hindrance or barrier.
According to the notification issued by the Government, the allegations were that unlawful activities were being carried out in the institute, Advocate Bashrat Abdullah said.
In response, he said that they produced all relevant documents and evidence on behalf of Siraj-ul-Uloom and the applicants.
“On the other hand, the opposing side failed to provide any evidence to support their claim that unlawful activities were taking place. Now, the Hon’ble Court has framed a committee comprising the district administration…this committee will collaborate with the management and applicants of Siraj-ul-Uloom to fulfil all conditions specified in the order,” he said.
In April this year, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg issued a two-page order based on a dossier pointing towards the alleged illegal activities at Darul Uloom Jamia Sirajul Uloom at Imam Sahib area in the district.
According to the order issued by Garg on April 24, there were “credible inputs and evidence on record, to indicate sustained and covert linkages of the institution with Jamaat-e-Islami, which the Government of India banned in 2019”.
Political parties had criticised the government’s decision and demanded a rollback of the notification.
