Ravinder Jalali
The unrest in NIT (National Institute of Technology) Srinagar (Formerly REC) started with a cricket match celebrations by Kashmiri students after India’s defeat against the West Indies in T20 World Cup late on 31st March night. The trouble started when the locals rejoiced the defeat of India in the semi-finals and raised pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans. Non-Kashmiri students were angry after local students rejoiced against India and shouted anti-India slogans. The next day saw a full-fledged clash between local and non-local students at the institute. On Friday, the atmosphere at the institute was charged as non-local students started protesting against Kashmiri students by shouting slogans like ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ and ‘Pakistan Murdabad’ in retaliation to local students raising pro-Pakistan slogans and anti-India slogans like ‘Hum Kya Chahte Azadi’. Police fired tear gas shells and used baton charge to disperse the groups.
The brutal police action on non-local students of NIT Srinagar made them to feel frightened. The attitude of the administration towards the students has been biased and discriminatory. “Instead of protecting the non-local and acting against those who raise anti-national slogans, it is ironical that the reverse is happening. The anti-nationalism is encouraged in the NIT campus. HRD ministry should take immediate measures to ensure the safety of the non-locals and at the same time take appropriate action against the students, and those who shelter and encourage them, for expressing anti-national venom at the campus. If it is not arrested it will spread far off and will be difficult to contain later on. It can not be brushed aside as an ordinary incident but will have much later ramifications.
In JNU, It was shocking to see the holding of an event in support of the Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru who was hanged on 9th February, 2013, and the lesser-known co-founder of Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Maqbool Bhat, who was hanged in 1984. It was unbelievable to see the students raising anti-India, pro-Azadi and Pro -Pak slogans in the university campus by a group of students who were holding placards depicting pictures of Afzal Guru. In JNU when anti India brigade and Afzal gang were bent upon to disturb the peace and posed direct threat to the integrity and sovereignty of our country, police did not enter but here in NIT, where the students were holding Tricolour in their hands and chanting “Vande Matram” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” were chased and roughed up by the J and K Police personnel.
It is a matter of anguish to see the helplessness of the Govt. that can not protect the students who stood up for India in India. It is surprising to see the silence on the part of media who make worthless leader of JNU as a hero. They must understand that the real heroes are those who stand up for India like the students of NIT Srinagar who hoisted the Tricolour in NIT and raised pro-India slogans like Bharat Mata Ki Jai and put up a fight against the anti-national local students of NIT and not like Afzal gang of JNU, who perhaps are on the pay role of Pro-Pak and separatists.
Govt. has failed to take stern action against the anti nationals and warned the administration that if not controlled at the initial stage, will spread to other educational institutions as well. It is condemnable to see the one sided action of police who reportedly took the side of the students raising anti-India and pro-Pak slogans and beat mercilessly those students, who were carrying Indian tricolour in their hand and raising Pro-India slogans. Govt. should probe the role of police in NIT. We hail the hoisting of Tricolour and raising pro-India slogans like Bharat Mata Ki Jai in NIT and ask the Govt. and administration to provide full security to the students of NIT who are mostly outsiders and are under threat from anti-nationals and the rival students, who are the locals and are in close touch with the separatists and militants.
It is surprising to see the double standards of the State administration when the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir writes to Rajasthan Govt. for resolving the issue of Kashmiri students involved in anti-national activities in educational institutions in Rajasthan while not taking any action in his home State. Here it is a peculiar situation to see the police taking action against the students who stand for India in India but not against those who are against India in India and raise anti-India slogans. In contrast, in JNU police was not allowed to crack down upon anti-national elements but media was allowed to cover the entire campus activities, interviewing the students to glorify the anti-India activities and made them hero but in NIT police was allowed inside to brutally Lathi charge the students holding Tricolour and media was not allowed inside to cover the students chanting national slogans and hoisting Tricolour. In JNU all and sundry were allowed to cover those students who were for disintegrating the country but in NIT no body is allowed who would have encouraged the students in keeping their morale high by holding Indian Tricolour.
The worst part is that the so called intolerant brigade is missing here. I would like to ask these leaders of left, pseudo liberal etc like Congress, why are they silent? In JNU, students led an anti-India campaign and the so called pseudo secular and liberals rushed to JNU and supported them. The police could not enter as it became a country with in a country but in NIT police was immediately called but instead of arresting the students who were raising anti-national slogans, acted against the nationalists who hoisted the Tricolour and raised pro India slogans. It is ridiculous and treacherous to see these students being roughed up and tortured by the police. The Govt. has to ensure that the students are safe because it is vulnerable to be in the campus as the locals are in close liaison with the separatists and police is also helping them. Since the non locals have no local connection and can not go any where, hence it is imperative responsibility of the Govt. to see them safe. The statement of Huriyat leader is also condemnable that the Kashmiri students out side are scared but he must remember that those who live themselves in glass houses should not throw stones on others houses.
The silence of Omar Abdullah is also astonishing. He never losses any time or misses an opportunity to tweet when the students of Kashmir in different universities of India are booked and punished for their anti-national activities but in NIT case he is silent and now sarcastically taunts Dy. Chief Minister to take action against the police officer, responsible for the brutal Tathi charge on the students of NIT, who were holding Tricolour in their hands. It is surprising to see the senior PDP leader Muzaffar Beigh warning CM for taking action against police officer responsible for the “Lathi charge” on the students. Now these leaders are silent on the police action on the peaceful protesters who were carrying Indian Tricolour and were demanding back the Tricolour which was taken by the police. It seems perhaps that Tricolour is prohibited from hoisting in NIT or any part of Srinagar.
(The writer is a Social Activist and Convenor, Democratic Panun Kashmir)
