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JKSA, Politicians Express Concern Over Safety of AMU’s Kashmiri Students
Newsclick Report |
The J&K Students Association requests Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath to intervene and ensure the safety of Kashmiri students.
AMU Students Allege FIR for Dec 6 Event Lodged Under Political Pressure

AMU. Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Srinagar: The J&K Students Association (JKSA) and political parties in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) have expressed serious concerns over the alleged beating and harassment of Kashmiri students at Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and called for official intervention to safeguard them. 

The JKSA, a student network monitoring students and highlighting their issues on campuses outside the Union Territory (UT), has alleged that students from the Valley are being repeatedly harassed at AMU.

According to the JKSA, at least, three Kashmiri students were physically assaulted and sustained injuries in the last month with the latest incident on Sunday.

“Kashmiri students are being repeatedly harassed in AMU. Over a month at least 3 kashmiri students were beaten with severe injuries. We are receiving frantic calls from Scholars about harassment & yet another thrashing case today,” the JKSA tweeted on Sunday.

JKSA national convener Nasir Khuehami tweeted on Tuesday: “This is how Kashmiri students are being treated in AMU campus. A goonda can be seen chasing Kashmiri students while holding Gun. We request HM @AmitShah Ji, to hold AMU Admin accountable & immediately replace the incumbent Proctor for consistently…. @HMOIndia @myogiadityanath”

“… Failing to maintain the law & order in the campus. As per the students, the Proctor has several times denied the involvement of armed goons in disrupting the peaceful protest of Kashmiri students,” he tweeted further.

Many students later held a demonstration on the AMU campus triggering sharp reactions from Kashmir after videos of students expressing their fears were circulated on social media networks. 

The JKSA also wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday seeking his personal intervention against what they referred to as continuous harassment of Kashmiri students at AMU. The organisation alleged that students from Kashmir are facing a “culture of hostility” and the “continuous harassment of the students from the UT has been ignored by the campus administration despite repeated pleas”. 

jammu

“The indifferent and discriminate attitude of authorities has left the students high and dry. Instead of the action against the culprits, the Kashmiri students are being chastised,” the letter shared by JKSA read. 

The students association also requested UP chief minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath to order an “inquiry into the incident and series of incidents and harassment in AMU” and ensure measures to ensure the safety of Kashmiri students.

“Unfortunate to see no action taken against hooligans harassing Kashmiri students in AMU. Some have also been physically assaulted & the authorities need to take prompt & strict action. Request @HMOIndia @AMUofficialPRO @aligarhpolice to take cognisance,” Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former CM Mehbooba Mufti tweeted on Monday. 

The alleged assault on Kashmiri students was also condemned by senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader MY Tarigami, who urged the university administration to act on the complaints. 

“Condemning the thrashing of Kashmiri scholars at AMU. There are allegations that some non-Kashmiri students often brandish country-made arms to harass the Kashmiri students. Calling on the AMU administration to look into the matter and ensure the safety of all Kashmiri students,” the former MLA from Kulgam tweeted on Monday.

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) leaders also urged the authorities to ensure safety of 1,400 Kashmiri students at AMU. 

“News about the thrashing of Kashmiri scholars at AMU is very unfortunate and unacceptable. Requesting the @AMUofficialPRO and @aligarhpolice to look into the matter and ensure the safety of Kashmiri students. Request @OfficeOfLGJandK to kindly intervene,” JKNC’s top spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq tweeted. 

Kashmiri students have been facing the brunt on campuses for the last few years. Many have been beaten up, others suspended and some arrested and booked under stringent laws on charges like the alleged celebration of the Pakistan cricket team’s victory in the ICC T20 World Cup last year. 

AMU is amongst the most sought-after universities for higher education in Kashmir. Every year, thousands apply to the university, which is the alma mater of many top lawyers, academicians and politicians, including the late Sheikh Abdullah.

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