NIT row: Chamber gives 24-hour ultimatum to Govt Kashmir counterpart not allowed to visit campus

STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Decrying the trail of incidents that happened at NIT Srinagar, Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI) on Wednesday gave 24 hours ultimatum to Government seeking concrete steps to ensure safety of the students and restoration of normalcy on the campus.
Addressing a press conference, CCI President Rakesh Gupta questioned the police entry into the campus and classrooms and resorting to brutal lathi-charge even on the handicapped students which led to serious injuries including fractures. He demanded immediate suspension of police officers present at the scene and cops involved in the brutal thrashing of students.
Hailing the deployment of CRPF at NIT Campus, he said that in order to ensure that such incidents do not re-occur, CRPF should be deployed at NIT on permanent basis.
He condemned the statement made by some quarters in the government that it was a mild lathi-charge. “The injuries inflicted on the students are a testimony that it was in fact a brutal assault”, he added.
Rakesh also informed that on the basis of phone calls received from affected students, he urged DGP K. Rajendra to ensure safety of the students and take urgent necessary action. The chamber also condemned the threats made by some faculty members in NIT and appealed to the Ministry of HRD which was provided substantial evidence by the students regarding the threats they received, and advised the ministry to sack them with immediate effect.
The parents of many students who were deeply shocked and felt insecure for the safety of their children studying at NIT also met Chamber President and his team.
Meanwhile, Rakesh also contacted Mushtaq Ahamd Wani, President Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mohammad Yaseen Khan, President Traders Federation Kashmir and Mohammad Ashraf, President, Federation of Industries Kashmir and requested them to visit NIT to enquire about the wellbeing of the students but they were not allowed to go inside by the police. The chamber expressed its displeasure that no minister from the government visited the NIT campus to take stock of ugly situation and also to take necessary measures.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry appealed to the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to take a serious note of the incident and take remedial action immediately before the situation further worsens.
Sham Lal Langer, Senior Vice President, Deepak Aggarwal, Junior Vice President and Arun Gupta, Secretary General were also present.