Aaliya Ahmad
National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar unrest, followed by chain reaction in other educational Institutions in Kashmir Valley including at University of Kashmir has given a new turn to the environment of studies within the campus. The reaction has found a new place at Rajouri where violent clashes erupted at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU). These clashes between two groups of students were one of the worst incidents of violence witnessed within a University campus in J&K State.
What is the reason behind such unrest and levels of violence in the educational institutions in the recent past in J&K State? What has happened suddenly that such seats of learning are being consumed by communal politics and there are open demands by the political groups for shifting of NIT Srinagar, which has vitiated the peaceful atmosphere and has given a new turn to the environment of studies?
Newspaper reports suggest that at BGSBU University campus when the outstation and Jammu-based students started arguments, some outsiders joined who were having links with right-wing groups. One of the prominent newspapers has quoted some eyewitnesses who have blamed these forces for the violence within the campus. What impact will it have on Kashmiri students in that University when they are thrashed and the unruly mobs within the campus torch vehicles and damage property? The double standards of the state government to deal with such situations is only bringing more trouble and raising more questions in the public circles. As the victims were Kashmiri students at BGSBU University and they had no cover like unfurling of tri-colour, the government has ordered an enquiry; the University authorities have ordered an enquiry, but no arrests despite confirmation that some outsiders were responsible for the violence. Cut to NIT Srinagar, when J&K Police resorted to lathi-charge to save their officers from thrashing by outstation students, they were made the target in the national media and they were replaced by CRPF within the campus. Such was the patronage and backing for the outstation students that government decided to drop all the charges of violence against them as they have repeated their demand requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hoist tri-colour on the campus to instill a sense of security among them. They have written another letter to Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani to visit the campus and hoist tri-colour. Has tri-colour become a refuge for any criminal or hoodlum to save himself from the law and to have a free run? Can J&K Government allow such elements to flourish in the educational institutions and vitiate the atmosphere of studies? At least the educational institutions should be spared from such petty politics of ultra-nationalism which is touching the boundaries of fascism.
In order to save the educational institutions of J&K state from the virus of communal politics, the state government should step in and save them before it is too late. A criminal cannot take refuge under nationalism to carry on his criminal activities in the educational institutions by getting directly or indirectly political patronage. The pattern of violence from NIT Srinagar to BGSBU at Rajouri is showing a disturbing trend and the government should curb such elements of violence and isolate them without any further delay in order to save the careers of those students who only come to these institutions to get educated and not become street urchins.
Author teaches at Media Education Research Centre, Kashmir University. She can be mailed at aaliyahmed@gmail.com
