Separatist Groups in J&K Pledge Allegiance to India, Signaling a New Era of Unity
SUHAIL KHAN
SRINAGAR, Apr 7: In a historic shift that underscores the transformative political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir, six separatist organizations, including the Kashmir Freedom Front (KFF), have publicly severed ties with the Hurriyat Conference—a decades-old separatist conglomerate—and pledged allegiance to India.
This unprecedented move, unfolding during Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s high-profile visit to the region, marks a watershed moment in the union territory’s journey toward peace and development following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
A Departure from the Past
The Kashmir Freedom Front, led by separatist-turned-mainstream leader Bashir Ahmad Andrabi, became the sixth group to disassociate from the Hurriyat Conference this month, joining five other factions that have denounced separatism and vowed to support India’s constitutional framework.
Advocates of this ideological U-turn, including Shafi Reshi of the Democratic Political Movement (DPM) and Shahid Saleem of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement, criticized the Hurriyat for “failing the aspirations of Kashmiris” and pledged to work toward “development and dignity” under India’s democratic umbrella.
“We refuse to let our names or organizations be exploited by those peddling division. The era of separatism is over,” declared Andrabi, flanked by fellow former separatists who warned of legal action against anyone linking them to secessionist agendas. Their collective rejection of the Hurriyat’s ideology has been hailed as a symbolic death knell for a movement once central to Kashmir’s fractured political narrative.
Home Minister Declares “End of Separatism”
Addressing a rally in Baramulla, Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the developments as proof of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “unwavering commitment to national unity.” “Separatism is now a relic of the past. The Modi government has dismantled the ecosystem of terror and replaced it with trust, development, and accountability,” Shah asserted, citing a dramatic decline in militancy-related incidents—from 417 in 2018 to just 76 in 2023.
Shah’s visit, aimed at reviewing security and development projects, coincided with the government’s recent five-year ban on two key Hurriyat constituents—the Mirwaiz Umar Farooq-led Awami Action Committee and Mohammad Abbas Ansari’s Jammu and Kashmir Ittihadul Muslimeen (JKIM)—for “abetting terrorism and secessionism.”
The Rise and Fall of the Hurriyat
Formed in 1993 as an alliance of over two dozen parties, the Hurriyat Conference long dominated Kashmir’s separatist discourse despite its limited grassroots influence. Internal fissures split the group into rival factions in 2003, one led by the late Syed Ali Geelani and the other by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who has been under house arrest since August 2019. Geelani’s death in 2021 and the incarceration of over two dozen Hurriyat leaders on charges ranging from terror financing to militancy support have left the conglomerate politically defunct.
“The Hurriyat survives only in name. Its leaders are either jailed, silenced, or abandoned by their own people,” remarked a senior security official, speaking anonymously.
Integration Over Insurgency
Analysts attribute this tectonic shift to the central government’s dual strategy of stringent counter-terrorism measures and aggressive outreach through infrastructure projects, employment schemes, and electoral participation. The Modi administration’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019, followed by the delimitation exercise and preparations for assembly elections, has recalibrated the region’s political aspirations.
“Separatism thrived on alienation. By addressing grievances through development and democratic engagement, the government has eroded its ideological base,” stated political analyst Aarti Tikoo.
Meanwhile, the surrender of separatist groups’ signals progress. However, challenges persist. Ensuring lasting peace requires addressing unemployment, enhancing transparency in governance, and fostering inter-community dialogue. Moreover, the release of detained Hurriyat leaders and the integration of dissenters into mainstream politics remain contentious issues.
As Jammu and Kashmir inches toward its first assembly elections since becoming a union territory, the ex-separatists’ pledge to India offers a glimmer of hope—a testament to the region’s evolving narrative from conflict to reconciliation.
Once a crucible of unrest, Jammu and Kashmir now stands at the threshold of a new dawn. With separatist voices fading and development taking center stage, the question—“Is India finally a solution?”—resonates with cautious optimism. The answer, however, hinges on sustaining this fragile peace through inclusive growth and unyielding faith in democracy.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
