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University, UP government should apologise to students: Naeem Akhtar
Published on
Thursday, 6 March 2014
8:07 pm
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PDP demands revocation of
FIRs, restoration of admission of expelled Kashmiri students
Srinagar: Demanding immediate revocation of FIR
against Kashmiri students, who were expelled from Meerut’s Swami Vivekanand Subharti University for
cheering Pakistan cricket team Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Thursday said
the Uttar Pradesh government and the university authorities should apologise to
them and restore their admissions without any delay.
Addressing a press conference
at the party headquarters, the PDP Chief Spokesperson, Naeem Akhtar said it was
unfortunate that these young boys have been condemned without listening to
their side of story. He said even if the version that that some students rooted
for Pakistan is taken at its face value it does not merit criminal proceedings
against the individuals. “After criminalising dissent, it seem s we headed for
criminalising the expression of sportsman spirit as well, which is a scary
development,” Akhtar said.
Akhtar said it is the right
of an individual to cheer for the sports team or player he/she likes the most
and the arbitrary action of the university authorities and of the UP government
against the Kashmiri students is totally unwarranted, unacceptable. By
doing so, Akhtar said, the attitude of intolerance has been taken to a new low,
which in no case can conform to the spirit of a democratic nation. “When
cheering, clapping of VVIPs like PM, Dr Manmohan Singh or UPA Chairperson,
Sonia Gandhi, for the Pakistan team doesn’t come under sedition, why only poor
Kashmiri students should face the brunt?” he said adding this is the worst
example of double-standards and fascist thinking.
Castigating the UP chief
minister, Mr Akhlesh Yadv, whose party claims to be the champions of minorities
in the country and local unit BJP in Meerut, for going too harsh against these
boys, Akhtar said it seems both parties have joined hands to destroy their
careers. Stressing that their cases should be revoked and admissions
restored, he said if not done it will otherwise compromise their future, which
is in no way justifiable.
The chief spokesperson said
from the sketchy reports appearing in media it seems that there is no case
against the students as the university authorities slapped sedition case
against unnamed students. The authorities had reportedly asked the students to
name the so called “real culprits” which could not be done by them as there was
none and therefore took collective punitive action against them. “This is
against all tenets of law” said Akhtar.
Akhtar criticized the chief
minister, Omar Abdullah for his remarks in which he had conceded that these
boys had ‘done wrong’ for cheering Pakistan. “Omar Abdullah has justified the
action of varsity authorities against the students. It is atrocious on his part
to blame the students for the entire episode ,” he said and added it is Omar
Abdullah himself, who has, actually, been on the forefront to demonise the
entire young population of Kashmir, as stone pelters drug addicts,
anti-nationals, criminals, for which they are paying heavy price both in and
outside the state. “Omar Abdullah has created a new stereotype Kashmiri image
that is seen with suspicion everywhere” said Akhtar. He said the Chief Minister
is guilty of starting the trend of registering FIR at the drop of a hat against
Kashmir youth on charges of sedition and waging war against the country and
sending teenagers into prison under PSA. He is left with no moral courage,
Akhtar said.
He said if such a level of
intolerance is practised at an institution, which is named after Swami
Vivekananda, who an icon of tolerance and understanding that means we have
landed in very bad times. He said such an unfortunate incident has
happened in spite of repeated assurances by the state government that the
interests of Kashmiris will be safe-guarded, where ever they are in the
country. But, unfortunately, the helpline which the government had claimed to
have started in this regard is nowhere in the existence, exposing the claims of
the government as it failed even to respond to the frantic calls of the
students.
Akhtar was flanked by
Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, youth wing in charge; Sajad Yousuf Rather, PDP
leader and Irfan Naqshbandi.
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