RSS not backing us, says Jamaat-e-Islami

A day before the Kashmir valley goes to polls in the first phase of Assembly elections, a press release issued on the letter head of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami JK, on Tuesday said the panel, which was currently running the Jamaat, was backed by the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh). The leaders of banned Jamaat Islami, however, said the letter was “fake”.

“We congratulate our grassroots cadres for not falling for the deceit of the self-proclaimed panel that has been imposed upon by RSS for its electoral benefit,” the release said, adding that panel, “despite using deception, intimidation has been able to field only nine candidates in 50 constituencies, where the Jamaat is a potent force and only one of these candidates is an actual member of Jamaat.”

Shameem Ahmad Thoker, who is chief election in-charge of banned Jamaat, however, told The Tribune that the statement was fake. “There is no spokesman who has given such a statement, there is no name, sign or stamp on this statement, which is fake,” he said.