Srinagar, Sep 8 (KNS): Senior politician Bilal Gani Lone on Tuesday said every organisation deserves a fair and democratic opportunity to present its case in a court of law, asserting that Jamaat-e-Islami is an old organisation with its own political standing and cannot simply be brushed aside.

“If peace and stability in Kashmir are genuinely the objective, the answer cannot be exclusion or political engineering,” Lone said.

He said Jamaat-e-Islami, or any organisation that does not espouse violence and openly reposes faith in democracy, should be allowed to make its case, participate within the bounds of law and let the people judge its politics.

Lone said democracy and peace become meaningful only when even those with whom one disagrees are given the right to be heard and treated fairly.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

“JeI, as a political organisation, has an organic political base and the potential to add value to democratic processes,” he said, adding that irrespective of how debatable or controversial the organisation may be, it remains part of Kashmir’s political landscape.

Lone said he has his own views about Jamaat-e-Islami and other organisations that have changed their political positions over the years, but in a democratic setup, no individual or organisation has the right to dismiss another merely because of differing political views.

He said political differences should be addressed through democratic means and the people should ultimately be allowed to decide the political relevance and future of any organisation.(KNS)