MEDICAL STUDENTS OF SRINAGAR CHARGED UNDER UAPA AFTER THEY RAISED SLOGANS OF PAKISTAN ZINDABAD
Srinagar: Students at the Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar and Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) are now living in fear after the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday registered two separate FIRs against hostel wardens, the college management and students for allegedly celebrating the Pakistani cricket team’s victory in Sunday’s T-20 World Cup match and raising slogans of ”PAKISTAN ZINDABAD”.
Soon after the victory of Pakistani team on Sunday, several videos of students from GMC and SKIMS in Srinagar celebrating pakistani team victory had gone viral.
These videos were shared widely among twitter handles with almost most the users and Indian cricket team supporter demanding action against the students supporting Pakistani team.
Videos were viral where it can be seen that some of the female students celebrating pakistani team victory and chanting the slogans ‘ISLAM ZINDABAD’ .
The FIRs have been filed under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the punishment of which may extend to seven years’ imprisonment.
A final-year student from SKIMS told that they were clapping for every player who played well during the match.
“When Virat Kholi was hitting sixes and fours, we clapped that time as well. This is sad that an issue is being made out of this,” he said
The student explained that they were Just trying to relax after their exams but insted got trolled and tagged in social media.
He said – ‘ it has affected us and some of us had to delete our social handles.’
Another student from SKIMS told that students are apprehensive after police officers visited the campus. This government response, he continued, could trouble the relationships between students from Jammu and Kashmir regions.
“This match should have been a source of entertainment. There was no need to politicise it,” he said.
Nashir kheuhami national spokesperson of the Jammu and Kashmir students told that the action taken on students are ‘too harsh.’
‘UAPA against students can harm their career and further alianate their future’ he said.
According to Kheuhami statements many students are willing to write an apology fearing police action and worried that college authorities may rusticate them.
He said that he had appealed Jammu and Kashmir government to look at the matter and withdraw UAPA against students.
A well-known criminal lawyer from Srinagar, Mir Urfi told that booking students under the UAPA for cheering for a team is not justified. “As a human being you can celebrate anyone’s win in the world. There is nothing wrong in this.”
She said that UAPA is being used against Kashmiris to suppress their emotions. “You can cheer for the win of anyone’s country, irrespective of being its citizen or not,” she said.
Another lawyer Habeel Iqbal also told that booking students under UAPA is an abuse of law.
“The Supreme Court has way back in 1995 held that shouting slogans like “Khalistan zindabad” is not a crime. No case is made out against these students. Ultimately it will be thrown out by the court, but not before jeopardising their liberties and careers. The state has better and bigger things to focus on.”
This recent action on students has created a spice on social media and a burning debate.
While quoting a tweet, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said that the home minister’s interaction with Kashmiri youth began with slapping UAPA charges against them. She said, “Instead of trying to ascertain why educated youth choose to identify with Pakistan, GOI resorting to vindictive actions. Such steps will alienate them further.”
In the past too, Kashmiri students have been caught in the cross-fire during an India-Pakistan match. Even on Sunday pakistani team win, alleged violence was reported against Kashmiri students in Punjab. At the Bhai Gurdas Institute of Engineering and Technology in Punjab’s Sangrur, Kashmiri students alleged that they were assaulted and their hostel rooms ransacked after the match.
