14 November 2019
By Lalit K Jha
Washington, Nov 14 (PTI)
Much of the violence in Kashmir is tied to organisations linked to separatist outfit Jamat-e-Islami and its partners, an influential US lawmaker has said, noting that the group has committed acts of violence against minority groups, including Hindus and Christians.
Congressman Jim Banks made the comments while addressing a seminar hosted by the Middle East Forum at the US Capitol on Wednesday. The programme was organised in association with South Asia Minorities Alliance Foundation.
Jamat-e-Islami is a violent, theocratic group that has committed violent acts against minority Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, and Ahmadis, he said.
The Republican Congressman from Indiana said that “much of the violence in Kashmir is linked to the organisations linked to Jamat-e-Islami and its terrorist partners”.
India had earlier this year banned the Jamat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir for five years under the anti-terror law on grounds that it was “in close touch” with militant outfits and was supporting extremism and militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere.
Referring to the activities of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Banks said that it is a thinly veiled partner group of Jamat-e-Islami within the US.
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