Srinagar, Oct 19 (KNS): The former students of Islamic University of Science and Technology have written a protest letter to the Vice Chancellor and informed him that they will boycott the maiden convocation of the University, which will be presided over by Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani.
The letter which has been signed by about ten students says that the students are appalled and anguished to see the innocent citizens being attacked by extremist elements that are associated with particular political and religious groups, or enjoy their patronage
“We the alumni of various departments of IUST are writing this to register our protest against the current state of uncertainty and insecurity in J&K,” the students wrote in the letter.
The letter has been singed by Khursheed Majid MBA, Rouf Ahmad Zargar MBA, Arsalan Khan MCA, Javid Ahmad Naikoo Mass Communication, Rouf Ahmad Sofi MCA, Zubair Ahmad Bicho MBA, Kaiser Yousf Rather B Tech Food Technology, Mateen Ahmad MCA, Syed Tajamul Geeelani MBA and Asim Irshad MCA.
From the killing of writers, lynching of a Muslim man by a Hindu mob in UP and killing of Zahid Rasool Bhat, the students have saidf that Hindu bigots have reared their heads under the patronage of RSS and BJP.
“Freedom of faith, thought and expression forms the fundamentals of the constitution of India, but the religious and political bigots, with tacit support of the powers that be, have wreaked havoc with the societal peace across length and breadth of the country.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelThis has caused grave concerns for individual and collective freedom of citizens,” they write.
In our State, the fascist forces are equally having a field day. The attack on a truck in Udhampur which resulted into killing of an innocent person and severe injuries to two others, has engulfed whole State in grief, they added.
“ This blatant murder of an innocent civilian, who was out to earn his living, has caused fear and insecurity in all those people from Kashmir who are outside for their jobs and studies.”
Surprisingly, the Central government has adopted an ambiguous stand vis-à-vis this fearful, uncertain and insecure atmosphere prevalent in almost whole of India. Because of this seemingly complicity of the BJP-led government at the Centre, many litterateurs of the country have returned their literary awards as a mark of protest, they mention.
“We, the alumni of the IUST, join the conscious civil society of India and J&K in this protest against violence by extremist groups and support to them by ideologues of Sangh Parivar. We share the concerns that in J&K and across India, these groups are fomenting communal clashes to threaten minorities and subjugate them.”
Since the Human Resource Development Minister is representative of the Central government, we deem it unjust and inappropriate to receive our academic honours through her, they added, “We hereby reiterate our affection for IUST and stand committed alumni to contribute for its growth and development.” (KNS)