Page 31 - 30NOV2018E

• Learning hard Mostly it’s parents who force
their wards to go out of Kashmir for studies

Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGH) was busted
which has links with Jaish-e-Moham-
med (JeM).
The three arrested students were
identified as Zahid Gulzar, a B.Tech
(Civil) student and resident of Rajpora,
under Police station Awantipur, Mohd
Idriss Shah alias Nadeem, resident of
Pulwama and Yusuf Rafiq Bhatt, resi-
dent of Noorpura, Pulwama. All were
students of a private institution located
in Jalandhar. The police claimed that
they were planning a blast in a crowded
area in Jalandhar during the festival Authorities said that he has asked the SSPs to meet
season. Kashmiri students across the state to
Punjab Police had also recently concerned in allay their fears. He also set up a special
picked up a student of another pri- educational cell where students could contact
vate institution, Gazi Ahmad Malik, senior police officers in case of any
a resident of Shopian from Banur institutions must problem. While the assurance given by
near Patiala. Gazi was closely related play their role him may soothe ruffled feathers, must
to Adil Bashir Sheikh, a Jammu and would depend on how the subordi-
Kashmir Police special police officer in involving all nate staff in the districts deals with the
who had fled with seven rifles from students in joint students from Kashmir and other parts
the residence of Peoples Democratic of the country.
Party (PDP) MLA in Srinagar and was activities and help While the arrest of students linked
suspected to have joined Hizbul Muja- to terrorist organisations is an excep-
hideen. Police suspect a link between develop cordial tion, the attacks and clashes involving
Gazi’s interrogation and the raid at the relations Kashmiri students may further alienate
institute in Jalandhar. them. It is an impressionable age and
The Punjab police then went into they had been witness to the violence
an overdrive and started collecting groups like terrorists, separatists, and the dance of death in the Valley.
personal details about all the Kashmiri extremists and secessionists etc. They It is, therefore, important that
students studying in various educa- can easily be targeted by these terrorist regular counselling sessions be held
tional institutions across the state. It groups for executing their nefarious with students from across the country
circulated a form seeking various de- designs”. This too led to protests from and they should be provided access for
tails, including Aadhaar card and other students’ organisations and political redressal of grievances to contain or
documents and singled out Kashmiri leaders. Students for Democracy, a check any developing situation. Equally
students for the exercise. This obviously political platform of students in Punjab important is the need to sensitise
caused anger and resentment among University, issued a press release saying the local students. They must be told
the students from Kashmir who alleged that collecting information “on the that the students from other states
they were being profiled. pretext that Kashmir is a disturbed area were guests and it was their duty and
Even the Chandigarh Police started is bogus”. It said the authorities “have responsibility to protect them. They
gathering information about students failed to understand that political prob- should be made to appreciate that the
from Kashmir on the grounds that they lems cannot be handled by such mean country’s strength lays in what is called
were susceptible to influence from measures which instead of solving the unity in diversity. Authorities con-
militant organisations. The circular problem, aggravates it”. cerned in educational institutions must
said that due to “their poor economic/ Thankfully the authorities withdrew also play a role in involving all students
social condition and lack of gainful the circulars after public pressure built in joint activities and help develop
employment for their livelihood, there up against profiling all students from cordial relations.
is strong apprehension that they can be Kashmir. Calling them as “our own
trapped or lured by some anti-national children”, Punjab DGP Suresh Arora letters@tehelka.com

Tehelka / 15 november 2018 31 www.Tehelka.com

30-31 Opinion Vipin Pubby.indd 3 02/11/18 11:24 AM