Srinagar, Aug 23: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Saturday criticized the elected government’s decision to enforce the ban on Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT) schools by taking over the management of 215 institutions, calling the move “neither necessary nor justified.”
In a statement posted on X, Bukhari said that although Jamaat-e-Islami has remained banned since 2019, the LG administration refrained from assuming control of FAT schools. “Yet, the elected government, despite enjoying a strong public mandate, has chosen to do so. Rather than direct takeover, the government could have regulated these institutions to safeguard the future of enrolled students,” he remarked.
Bukhari acknowledged political and ideological differences with Jamaat-e-Islami but maintained that FAT schools had played a “positive and commendable role” in the education sector for decades. “By imposing a ban on these schools, the government has done a disservice to education and to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
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Bukhari further argued that the move reflects “the ruling party’s intolerance towards its political or ideological rivals.” Citing history, he recalled that FAT schools were first banned in 1990 during the tenure of the late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as Union Home Minister, but the courts stayed the order. The ban resurfaced in 2019, and six years later, he said, the present government has moved to implement it.
Calling on the government to reconsider, Bukhari said, “Since education falls within the domain of the elected government, there are numerous ways to ensure oversight without imposing a ban. A regulatory authority could be established to make sure these schools comply with laws while continuing their work.”
