By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Jammu: Even as the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar limps back to normalcy after their demands were accepted by the state government, students of Jammu-based colleges seem to be in no mood of giving up their protests and putting an end to the harassment of their fellow Kashmiri students.
On Tuesday April 12, Kashmir observed a complete shutdown across valley following the bandh call given by top separatist leaders, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Muhammad Yasin Malik and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq against the harassment of Kashmiri students studying in different Indian states.
Barely 300 kms away from Srinagar, a Jammu-based engineering college saw one more Kashmir thrashed; a possible reprisal over NIT Srinagar issue.
The situation turned tense in Model Institute of Engineering and Technology (MIET), when a group of 30-40 students from the majority community got hold of one Kashmiri youth, Aqib Jalal, a resident of Awantipora in the college campus and roughed him up.
“After NIT Srinagar issue, the situation in our college is tense. We have been witnessing our fellow Jammu-based students joining every day protests and we can sense their growing hatred against us. Actually, Aqib used to support Pakistan cricket team and used to update his status on Facebook and in college WhatsApp group, which infuriated his fellow classmates who are Indian supporters and complained this to their seniors,” his fellow classmate who wished to stay anonymous told TwoCircles.net .
“This was the reason the he was roughed up. Later, the matter went to principal and police also came on the campus to ensure peace,” he added.
The Kashmiri Students also alleged local students of passing offensive remarks on Kashmiri girls and termed them terrorists and supporters of Pakistan in the college campus.
“When a group of Kashmiri students went to the Director of the institute Mr. Ankur Gupta to ensure security in the campus, he said he couldn’t ensure the same and instead asked them to stay off the campus for a week until the matter dies down,” said a student studying Electronics and Communications in MIET.
Some days back, similar incidents had happened in Yogananda College of Engineering and Technology (YCET) and Government Engineering and Technology College, both in Jammu, where Kashmiri students were harassed and intimidated by Jammu-based students while raising anti Kashmir and anti-Pakistan slogans to protest against police action on NIT Srinagar students.
“They were shouting pro Indian slogans and were provoking us by anti Kashmir slogans, but we stayed calm. Later police came and ensured us security and we are presently being protected by them in the college campus,” a student at YCET told TwoCircles.net.
The Kashmiri students studying in Jammu University have also complained of campus politics and everyday protests by local students even though the situation in NIT Srinagar has calmed down and majority of their demands have been met by the state government.
The protests are also leading to disruption of classes. “Every day they (protesters) come to our classes and ask us to join them. Many local students do join them, which leads to cancellation of classes and this practice is seriously affecting our studies,” said a student studying Law in Jammu University.
It is important to mention here that things had taken an ugly turn in National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar after India lost the World T20 semi-final match to West Indies and Kashmiri students purportedly celebrated the Indian cricket team’s defeat.
The non-local students later clashed with police where around a dozen students were injured, resulting in nation-wide condemnation of the incident.