STATE TIMEs NEWS
JAMMU: Outstation students of NIT Srinagar continue to raise their voice against the decision of the Union HRD Minister not to shift the campus away from Srinagar at the Jantar Mantar Dharna Sthal in New Delhi.
The NIT students were not convinced with the approach of the Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani and MOS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh vis a vis their genuine demands. It is for this reason the NIT students have been asking their supporters to join them in large number to put pressure on the government to come clean over their approach in addressing the issues raised by the NIT students.
The agitated students are also keen on carrying forward their campaign to ensure all other genuine demands of the students are met without compromising on their security.
Meanwhile, to generate the momentum in support of their demands, the NIT students have been making appeals to the countrymen to join their struggle by supporting them at the Dharna Sthal.
They have also made it clear to the political parties to stay away from their protests to prevent them from taking undue advantage for their vested interests.
For last couple of days the NIT students have been braving blazing sun in large numbers and mobilising support for their movement.
After AAP MLA burnt its fingers NSUI workers also organised a protest march in New Delhi on saturday accusing MHRD Minister Smriti Irani of “differential treatment” in handling of controversies at JNU and NIT, Srinagar.
“We want to ask the HRD Minister why such differential treatment in handling the two controversies? While they were superbly active in ensuring the students at JNU are taken to task for their so-called anti-national moves, the government did not ensure security to the national elements in NIT, Srinagar,” said Vivekanand Pathak, NSUI National Secretary.
“There are over 1,000 students who have left the campus and are skipping the exams. What is the government doing about the sense of insecurity that is prevailing on campus? All the ministry could do was to sympathise with the students and not to agree to either of their demands,” he said.
Harsh questions resumption of classes in NIT
JAMMU: Expressing concern over the issuance of fresh notification by the registrar NIT Srinagar dated 16th April, 2016 for resumption of classes in the institute from 18th April despite a highly surcharged atmosphere in the campus as well as in Kashmir Valley, Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman JKNPP and former Minister, on Sunday urged for a review of the same till the appraisal of the genuine issues of the non local students by the HRD Ministry.
“The non local students numbering nearly 2400 who are already in Delhi seeking redressal of their grievances would be prejudicially affected by the said notification as they have already missed their minor-I exams,” Harsh said.
He added that as per 16th April order they would further be deprived of ECA exam which is scheduled to be conducted from 18th to 22nd April in the NIT campus.
Describing the decision of NIT authorities unilateral and arbitrary, Singh sought the withdrawal of the same till the non local students were given a hearing in Delhi and their grievances were duly addressed by the concerned authorities including the Union Ministry.
Seeking the personal indulgence of the HRD Minister Smriti Irani to break the deadlock and thereby to save the careers of the students, Singh lambasted the NIT Srinagar authorities for their high headiness, their adventurism in mishandling the situation and the resultant crisis leading to exit of non local students from valley.
He said that the demand of the students for an extension campus Jammu could also be given consideration.
He said that already several discussions were held in the erstwhile Assembly with assurances coming forth from State government for up gradation of GCET Jammu to the level of NIT and for taking up the issue in this regard with the GoI. He said that it was high time that such assurances were translated into reality and till the extension campus of NIT made operational in Jammu.
He said that operationalization of NIT at both Jammu and Srinagar would further satisfy the regional aspirations of the people across the State. He further pointed out that precedents of extension campuses already exist as BIT Mesra has extension campuses in Kolkata, Noida and Muscat. Likewise, he said IIIT Allahabad has its extension campus in Sultanpur.
Terming the institution of criminal cases against the non local students of NIT by the BJP partnered government as highly outrageous and reprehensible, Harsh said that Saffron party stood fully exposed for its hypocrisy and double speak.
He said that immunity to those who raised anti national slogans and Pak flags and slapping of criminal cases against those who raised national flags had revealed the BJP in its true colours and proved beyond doubt that lust knew no bars, no red lines. Reminding BJP of its tantrums of leading processions to Lal Chowk Srinagar while in opposition to host Tricolour there, he regretted that the Saffron party had resorted to cane charging and assaulting such nationalists in its own government only to remain glued to power. He exhorted the Central and State governments to accord priority consideration to the resolution of NIT row.
