Who is Farida Dar? Hardcore separatist leader shuns separatism, pledges allegiance to India

With yet another constituent of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) rejecting separatism to join the mainstream, Home Minister Amit Shah seized the opportunity to declare it a triumph of the Prime Minister's policies of integration and unity.

"Under the Modi government, the spirit of unity reigns in J&K. Another Hurriyat-affiliated organization, the Jammu and Kashmir Mass Movement, has rejected separatism and declared full commitment to the unity of Bharat. I sincerely welcome this move. So far, as many as 12 Hurriyat-linked organizations have distanced themselves from secessionism and pledged allegiance to the Constitution of India," the Home Minister posted on X. He added, "This is a victory of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat."

Hurriyat's promient woman face shuns separatism, declares loyalty to India

Amit Shah's post holds significant weight in the separatist politics of Jammu and Kashmir, as the only prominent female face of the Hurriyat Conference—Farida Dar, also known as Farida Behanji—has distanced herself from separatist politics and declared her loyalty to India.

In a public statement, she categorically disassociated both herself and her organization, the Jammu and Kashmir Mass Movement, from separatist groups, including both factions of the APHC.

In an affidavit, she declared that neither she nor her organization has any connection or affiliation with APHC (G), APHC (A), their constituents, or any other group pursuing separatist or similar agendas. She further clarified that the ideology of the APHC does not resonate with her or her party, emphasizing that such platforms have failed to address the legitimate aspirations and grievances of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

She also warned that any attempt to associate her or her organization with such groups would invite legal consequences.

"I am a loyal citizen of India," she affirmed, adding that both she and her organization owe allegiance to the Constitution of India and are not associated with any group that works against national interests.

Who is Farida Dar?

Popularly known as Farida Behanji, Farida Dar is the chairperson of the Jammu and Kashmir Mass Movement and one of the earliest and most prominent female separatist leaders in Kashmir.

Her organization has been actively involved in inciting separatist sentiments among women—especially girl students—and encouraging participation in anti-India activities.

Several activists associated with her organization have been arrested for acting as couriers for terrorists, spying, and raising funds for terror groups. Farida Dar herself has been imprisoned multiple times for separatist activities.

Her brother, Bilal Beg, has been hiding in Pakistan for several years. He is the self-styled commander of a terror outfit called the Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front and has been linked to a series of bomb blasts across cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata.

Another relative, Hilal Beg, was a self-styled commander of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Liberation Front. He was killed in an encounter with security forces in Srinagar in 1996 along with one of his associates.

Farida Dar's influence in the separatist politics of Kashmir was such that neither the hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani nor the moderate Hurriyat chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq—nor any other separatist or terror commander—could afford to ignore her. She was also considered significant by Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI. Farida Behanji had even established an organization aimed at imparting religious education to girls.

12 Hurriyat constituents reject separatism, pledge allegiance to the Constitution of India

Over the past few months, a total of 12 separatist organizations have renounced their separatist ideology. On Tuesday, the Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Political Party, the Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Democratic League, and the Kashmir Freedom Front publicly disassociated themselves from the Hurriyat Conference, the separatist conglomerate.