Parents wary of their kids' safety

Video shows UP students vowing to teach kids from J&K a lesson

The circulation of two-minute video purportedly showing non-Kashmiri students in an Uttar Pradesh University vowing to ‘teach Kashmir students a lesson’ has created has created fear and psychosis among the parents whose children are studying outside state colleges and university. 

The video, reportedly sent by some students of Swami Vivekanand Subharti University (SVSU) to fellow Kashmiri students studying at the university under the Prime Minister’s Scholarship Programme for J&K students, has once again made parents worried that their children might be attacked by right wing fascists.

The video shows some students wearing brown sweaters bearing university logos on the premises of Dingra hostel on the SVSU campus calling the suspended Kashmiri students ‘traitors and Pakistanis’. The students are also seen shouting slogans: “Kashmiri students won’t be spared.”

Demanding security for their wards, the worried parents urged state and Central governments to ensure safety of the students at outside state universities. 

Mushtaq Ahmad, a parent from Srinagar, whose son is studying in UP, said his family members are worried after the circulation of the video. “My son told me that they are being harassed and abused by non-local students for no reasons from last few weeks,” Ahmad said.

Another worried parent whose son is doing engineering course in UP said, “We don’t want to see our children dead, government should come clear on whether they will provide security to our wards or we may consider other options. If government cannot provide security to our children we will be forced to call them back to Kashmir.”

The parents expressed dismay over the ‘careless’ approach of J&K government in failing to ensure safety of Kashmiris outside of the state. “The plight described by students is heart-rending, condemnable and needs immediate attention of the state government and the civil society,” they said.

A second year BTech student at Mewar University in Rajasthan, wishing not to be named said on Saturday, when India and Pakistan clashed in World T-20 match in Bangladesh, Kashmir students were allegedly thrashed and harassed by local students. 

“We don’t feel secure on or outside the campus. We tried to return home but the management and police didn’t allow us to do so. We feel helpless,” he said.  

On Friday, some 12 Kashmir students reportedly sustained injuries after trouble erupted over India and Pakistan cricket match before Friday congregational prayers at the varsity.