J-K students’ body urges Amit Shah to intervene, stop harassment of Kashmiri students in AMU

NEW DELHI: After writing to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has now urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene and stop harassment of Kashmiri students in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). The students’ association wrote to Shah demanding a time bound enquiry, replacement of university proctor for his “lackdish attitude” and initiation of criminal proceedings against those found guilty of harassing those students. The students also urged the minister to form a committee for the welfare of Kashmiri students.

“There are over 1,400 students from Kashmir valley enrolled in undergraduate, postgraduate, and research courses at Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh. Students from Jammu and Kashmir are facing an uncivilised hostile culture (goonda culture) at AMU consistently. They have become victims of this culture of hostility,” read the letter.

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The students’ association alleged that seven students belonging to J-K have been assaulted over the past three months. As a result, students feel insecure and safe which is in turn impacting their studies, the association said.

Calling out the university authorities for not taking any action despite repeated pleas, the association said, “Even though the matter of harassment was brought before concerned authorities, no concrete steps were taken by authorities to ensure the safety and security of students. The indifferent and discriminative attitude of authorities have left the students high and dry. Instead of action against the culprits, the Kashmiri students are being chastised, which is highly condemnable”.

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The association informed that it has demanded a probe and immediate arrest of those involved in harassing the students. The students further argued that the home ministry issued an advisory, earlier, to take action against the responsible but the harassment continues to happen.

“Our collective demand is that, a time bound enquiry should be conducted so as to ascertain the facts, circumstances and nefarious designs behind the continuous attacks, intimidation and harassment of Kashmiri students…Nothing short of replacement of the incumbent proctor will satisfy the collective conscience of 1,400 students belonging to JKUT studying in AMU,” it said.

The Jammu and Kashmir students’ association also urged Amit Shah to sensitise the already appointed nodal officers for addressing such complaints to ensure such incidents are not repeated and the studies of J-K students are not hampered.