Over 120 Harvard University Faculty, Students Write to Indian Govt Seeking Release of Shah Faesal

Following the detention of Shah Faesal at Srinagar on Wednesday, August 15, faculty members, students and former students of Harvard University, of which Faesal is an alumnus, have written a letter to the Government of India, requesting to reconsider the decision to detain the bureaucrat turned politician. 

As per a report in the National Herald, the series of incidents unfolded when Faesal, who was on his way to Istanbul from Delhi, was stopped at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on August 14. He was then sent back to Srinagar where he was detained under the Public Safety Act.

Shah Faesal had been vocal against the recent lockdown in Kashmir, following the abrogation of Article 370 from the Constitution by the Bharatiya Janata Party led government. 

The letter, which included over a 120 signatories, states, “We are concerned about the latest restrictions and arrests of many local leaders including a Harvard student and politician, Shah Faesal.”

Expressing concern over the current situation of the valley, the letter further says, “We request the government to take credible action keeping in mind the democratic rights of people during the process of bringing peace to the valley.”

The letter also calls for a “democratic and peaceful means to ensure stability in the state of Jammu & Kashmir”.
Shah Faesal, who was a former bureaucrat, had floated the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement party after resigning from the Indian Administrative Service. 

As per reports, over 600 leaders including two former chief ministers, Mehbooba Mufti and Farooq Abdullah have been put under house arrest in the past two weeks following the revocation of special status to J&K. The leaders continue to be under detention.