KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Contrary to the reports that the Union home ministry had asked for “complete profiles” of Kashmiri students studying in Kolkata, the ministry denied as having directed so.
Times of India’s Bharti Jain reported in its Wednesday’s edition from New Delhi that the Union Home Ministry advisory on Jammu and Kashmir youths studying in educational institutions across all states and Union Territories “had not sought their details but only requested the state police to ensure their protection and handle incidents affecting them with utmost care and sensitivity”.
“In the advisory dated February 23, the home ministry, while citing the background of students from J&K, pointed out how there is a perception among the people of J&K that their wards are being treated with suspicion and hostility outside the state,” Bharti Jain reported.
“It is requested to ensure the protection of students from J&K. Incidents affecting the students may be handled with utmost care and sensitivity,” the advisory, which has been reviewed by ToI, told chief secretaries/administrators of all states/UTs.
Quoting a home ministry official, ToI wrote, “contrary to reports in a section of the media that seem to give the impression that the note from Kolkata Police asking all colleges in the city to give details of students from J&K was issued at the behest of the Centre, the purpose of its advisory was to save them from facing any discrimination or hostility on grounds of their domicile.”
The Indian Express reported on Tuesday that the Kolkata Police note had asked principals of all colleges to let them “know that students, whose residential address is under the state of J&K, studies in your institution, for onwards transmission to the ministry of home affairs, North Block, New Delhi, Government of India”.
Meanwhile, The Indian Express reported today that four Kashmiri students were allegedly beaten up following a rumour that they had eaten beef in Rajasthan.
The incident occurred at Mewar University in Jaipur when some local students had a run in with a few Kashmiri students over the issue of allegedly cooking meat. The university campus, hostels and mess are vegetarian by policy, the newspaper wrote.
“The locals alleged the Kashmiri students were cooking beef in their hostel room. This led to a scuffle during which the four Kashmiri students were hurt. The university has about 700-800 students from Jammu and Kashmir, a large number of who gathered as the word spread on campus,” it further said.
