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NIA raids 6 NGOs, trusts in Kashmir, Delhi in connection with terror funding case

The NIA complained that some NGOs/trusts including Falah-e-Aam Trust, Charity Alliance, Human Welfare Foundation, JK Yateem Foundation, Salvation Movement, J&K Voice of Victims (JKVoV) collect money and use it to help separatist activities and terrorists.

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NIA raids 6 NGOs, trusts in Kashmir, Delhi in connection with terror funding case. Source: Twitter.
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The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday conducted raids at 10 locations in the Valley in Srinagar and Bandipora. These included the Greater Kashmir newspaper office and the residence of a human rights activist and convener of Khurram Parvez, the civil society of the Jammu and Kashmir alliance, connected with a fresh terror funding probe by the agency. The NIA also raided a hideout in Bangalore.

The NIA complained that some NGOs and trusts collect money and use it to help separatist activities and terrorists. Important documents, electronic gadgets, and other objectionable materials have been recovered during the raid.

The residences of three of Parvez's associates were raided on Wednesday. In these raids, NIA found the whereabouts of Parveena Ahanger. She is President of the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons, and the NGO Athrout and Chairperson of the Greater Kailash Trust. According to the NIA, non-governmental organizations received funds from unknown donors, which were being used to finance terrorist activities. A release from the agency said that several secret documents and electronic devices were seized.

However, Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti has strongly opposed these raids. Earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had closed one of the two properties allotted to the Kashmir Times. Executive editor Anuradha Bhasin was also evicted from her government residence in Jammu two weeks ago. In the year 2000 also the NIA took action against three NGOs. These NGOs were found to be involved in funding terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir.

An NIA spokesperson said raids were conducted "on the residence and office of Khurram Parvez, coordinator of J&K Coalition of Civil Society (CCS); his associates Parvez Ahmad Bukhari, Parvez Ahmad Matta, and Swati Sheshadri; Parveena Ahanger, the chairperson of Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDPK), and NGO Athrout and GK Trust, among others."

GK Trust publishes the two most widely read newspapers, the Greater Kashmir and the Kashmir Uzma. The CCS and the APDPK are human rights organizations.

Bukhari is a journalist who has contributed to Time magazine and Al Jazeera and now works for the France-based news agency AFP. 

Khurram and many others had expressed outrage on Tuesday against the new land law that lifts the bar on those living outside Jammu and Kashmir from buying non-agriculture land in the Union Territory. The change, facilitated by the special status abrogation, was notified by the Centre on Tuesday.

"Abrogation of (the special provision in) Article 370, India had claimed that it was being done to ensure development, creation of jobs, women empowerment, and transparency. Kashmiris knew that the real reason for abrogation was land grabbing and demographic changes. It can't be any more bold and violent," Khurram had tweeted on Tuesday.

Disquiet against the new land rule is brewing in Jammu's Hindu heartland, too, with several Dogra leaders claiming that the Dogra identity was under assault. Jammu's Hindu hub is a BJP stronghold where the Dogras, Hindus, form the majority. 

The raids coincided with separatists' break from their long slumber since Jammu and Kashmir lost its special status and statehood last year. The separatists called for a shutdown on October 31 against the new "imperial" land laws.

On the searches, an NIA spokesperson said: "A case was registered under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967 on receipt of credible information that certain NGOs and Trusts are collecting funds at home and abroad through donations and business contributions, and are utilizing these funds for secessionist and terrorist activities in J&K."

Politicians, journalists, and people from other walks of life called the raids a crackdown on dissent and an assault on people who refuse to fall in line.

"The NIA raids on GK office and HR defender Khurram Parvez's house are attempts to impose silence even on our whispers (and they're scared of even that). This comes a day after the disempowering land laws. Can this be just a coincidence?" tweeted Anuradha Bhasin, editor of the Kashmir Times. Bhasin's office and residence- — allotted by the government — in Srinagar and Jammu were recently sealed.

Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said the raids were yet another "example of GOI's vicious crackdown on freedom of expression and dissent."

"Sadly, the NIA has become BJPs pet agency to intimidate & browbeat those who refuse to fall in line," she tweeted.

"At a time when J&K's land & resources are being plundered, GOI wants media publications to write op-eds about diabetes & yoga. In BJP's 'all is well' charade, truth is the biggest casualty. Any journalist unwilling to become a part of Godi media is targeted."

Sajjad Lone, People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, a seven-party alliance to fight for the restoration of the special status, said NIA raids have added to the "environment of fear."

"GK essentially was one institution that struggled its way to the top. The institution now stared helplessly as fear and slander take over. Hoping against hope that sanity prevails," he said.

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