Srinagar: Kashmiri students of the Aligarh Muslim University, in a statement have said that the ‘circumstances of fear at AMU are increasing as we are told that more students are being named and framed with fake charges.’
“The sedition and other relevant charges against two Kashmiri scholars have not been withdrawn, and administration is creating more fear among the students,” the statement said which has been circulated through the Vice President of the Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Union Sajad Subhan Rather.
The statement added, “As the campus is turning hypersensitive, and fear is increasing, parents are calling students to return to Kashmir. We are firm on our stand that 1200 students from J&K at AMU will return to Kashmir, in case sedition charges are not withdrawn.”
The letter has been has been sent to the Vice Chancellor, The Alumni Association and the students of the varsity.
The students have also said that on 17 October, which is the Sir Syed Day, they will meet the Alumni of the university and share their concerns.
“We will meet the alumni of AMU visiting the university to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan on 16 October and tell them our story of fear and harassment. We are feeling insecure and targeted. We are victimized for being Kashmiris. We reiterate that no law and order problem was created by Kashmiri students at AMU and all the charges leveled against us politically motivated and concocted,” they said in the statement.
They have also appealed to the Governor of JK to get the ‘fake charges’ revoked.
“We appeal to the Governor of the State of Jammu and Kashmir to take cognizance of the fake charges leveled against Kashmiri students at AMU and get them revoked. The Honorable Governor must make arrangements for safety and security of Kashmiri students leaving AMU on 17, October, in case the sedition charges are not withdrawn. We appeal to the Chief Minister of UP and Delhi, to make security preparations and ensure our safe return.”
Meanwhile, while talking to the Free Press Kashmir, one of the students charged with sedition, Abdul Haseeb Mir said that the University is becoming subservient and is acting against its own students.
Recently, two Kashmiri students have been suspended by the university for offering funeral prayers in absentia for scholar-turned-miliatant Mannan Wani. seven others have been served show cause notices and two students have been slapped with sedition charges.
However, the students denied that they had gathered to offer funeral prayers for Wani.
“For 5 to 6 months, Kashmir was shut in 2016. We sat together to discuss what we should do in this situation. We were sitting in front of Kennedy Hall which is around 400 steps away from the main street. Keeping the situation in India in our minds, we discussed not to do any protests.”