Srinagar, Apr 06 (KNS): Amid tension prevailing in National Institute Technology, a team of HRD held a full-day meeting with the NIT officials and listened to the demands put forward by the non-local students.
While the local students Wednesday attended their classes, the non-locals boycotted, presenting some demands to the visiting Human Resource Development officials that included Sanjeev Sharma, Director (Technical Education) in the HRD Ministry and Deputy Director Finance Fazal Mehmood.
The non local students said that they “are at peace” with the local students after the clashes on March 31 over a cricket match, but demanded action against police for “thrashing” them on Tuesday evening after the former attempted to hold protests outside the institute’s premises.
A third-year student of Rajouri said that they have no issues with Kashmiri students as they are “our brothers”, but that they want the campus to be shifted.
“The police thrashed us ruthlessly on Tuesday when we held protests near the main gate. Police lathicharged us and entered into our hostel rooms. The college administration too acted against us,” he told KNS over phone, but he wished not to be named.
“After yesterday’s beating by police, we don’t feel safe here. We demand the campus be shifted outside the Valley,” he said.
The non local students submitted other demands including hoisting of “National flag should be hoisted at main gate/fountain (The state flag may be hoisted as well)”.
More than 2000 non-Kashmiri students are studying in the engineering institute.
Local students told KNS that the campus is being politicized and its academics disturbed by the situation prevailing inside.
“We have no animosity with non locals. We don’t want the campus to be a political ground.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelIt should be kept for academics only,” the students said.
CRPF Commandant Bhavesh Choudhary told KNS that the situation in the campus is peaceful and all the issues have been resolved.
Today, DIG central Kashmir Ghulam Hassan Bhat, SSP Srinagar Amit Kumar visited the NIT.
Police officials deployed at the institute’s entrance said that had they not acted and dispersed the protesting students, the situation would have escalated and invited trouble for the students.
A police spokesman on Tuesday said that 500 students of the NIT Srinagar in shape of mob carrying banners displaying their demands resorted to violence by assaulting the policemen including officers and started stone pelting. The police has registered an FIR into the incident.
On Friday, the campus had witnessed clashes between local and outstation students over India's defeat by West Indies in the World Cup T20 semifinal match.
Following clashes, the NIT authorities had shut down the institute but reopened on Tuesday.
Expressing serious concern over the unrest that has been witnessed for the last few days at NIT campus in Srinagar, CPI (M) leader and MLA Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami has urged the students of the Institution and the administration to resolve the issues amicably.
He appealed the local and non local students at the NIT to ensure well-being of each other and not to do anything which can create discord among the student fraternity and impact on their careers.
The non local students said that they will boycott the classes until demands are met.
Meanwhile, former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: “Rushing in a team from HRD ministry coupled with the CRPF replacing J&K police speaks volumes about Delhi's confidence in Mehbooba Mufti.” (KNS)