By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: Weeks after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested a freelance photojournalist Kamran Yousuf on allegations of instigating stone pelting, the agency summoned Kashmir University scholar Aala Fazili to its headquarters in New Delhi on Monday, September 25th.
He is being questioned by the NIA officials at its headquarters. Fazili is a resident of Humhama in Srinagar and is perusing PhD in Pharmacy Department of Kashmir University. He was called by NIA in connection with a case related to the terror-funding case.
The summoning of the research scholar has received a huge backlash from the student community in the Valley as hundreds of them came on streets to register their protest.
Students in the Kashmir University on Wednesday, September 27th hit the roads demanding an immediate stop to the questioning of research scholar and threatened to lock down the university if it continued.
Hundreds of students from different departments boycotted the classes and marched across the campus raising slogans in support of Aala and against the NIA. The students also demanded the intervention of Vice Chancellor into the matter.
A similar protest was organised by the students of Islamic University in Awantipora. The students carried placards and demanded an immediate stop to the questioning of the research scholar.
All Jammu and Kashmir Student Union (AJKSU) has also condemned the summon to a student.
“If Aala Fazili is not immediately released it will act as a fuel to new student uprising and the state govt as well as central will be directly responsible for the outcome,” AJKSU said in a statement.
Demanding the immediate release of the research scholar, AJKSU has asked the government to shun hard behavior towards students, so that they are not forced to take any extreme step.
Kashmir University Student Union (KUSU) has termed summoning of the scholar as a pressure tactic to create a fear psychosis among the students.
“We are in a fix to understand that Kashmir University being an autonomous institute, how the Vice Chancellor and the Chief Proctor allowed police officials from police station Nigeen to enter the campus to bring NIA notice,” questioned KUSU spokesperson in a statement.
The students are aghast at the questioning of their fellow student and feel that the community is being targeted and a sense of fear is being created among the students.
“I don’t understand what connection a research scholar will have with terror-funding case. Beside these tactics are being used to create a sense of fear among the students so that they don’t protest against the state,” said Shahid Eshfaq who is doing Master in Political Science from Kashmir University.
Another student, Samiullah Khan, who is doing his Masters in Economics said, “KU has always been vocal on issues related to human rights violations.This can be a possible try to scuttle the voice and send a message so that no one dares to speak up.We want immediate release of our fellow student.”
Importantly, the NIA is probing the terror funding case against Kashmiri separatists and has arrested many separatist leaders and workers in this regard.