Srinagar- The Kashmiri students at Punjab’s Desh Bhagat University (DBU), who had been illegally transferred to an unauthorized college, have deferred their indefinite strike by a fortnight following intervention of Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann.
The decision to put off 15-day strike comes after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gurinder Singh Garry Birining met the protesting Kashmiri students on the orders of Punjab CM, assuring them all-out assistance from the state government.
The students, while appreciating the Punjab government’s unwavering support to the issues they confronted since 2020, said they have decided to defer the indefinite by 15 days.
“We are thankful to the Punjab government and at the same time want to express our hearty gratitude to the Farmers and opposition leaders for saving our future as the DBU administration without seeking consent of the students had shifted them to an unauthorized college,” Danish Ahmad, a student representative told Kashmir Observer.
He said the decision to postpone the strike was taken after the AAP leader, who also represents Amloh Assembly constituency, met them and assured all-out assistance from the state government.
“With the Punjab government’s envoy assuring us that our demands will be met, we have no reason to prolong our strike. To watch how things go, we will hold off for another fifteen days,” he added.
At least 70 students, majority of them from Kashmir, were transferred to Sardar Lal Singh College (SLSC) without their consent.
The paramedical courses at SLSC, students said, are not recognized by Indian Nursing Council (INC) or Punjab Nurses Registration Council (PNRC) as the college lacks approval of both the regulating bodies.
At least 25 students, including 22 girls and 3 boys suffered injuries after the DBU staff together with police used force during their protest against the “unilateral move”, last week.
Punjab police has also charged DBU administrators, including its Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, President and Vice-President for defrauding naïve students.
A formal case FIR No. 135 of 2013 under IPC sections 420, 406, 354 B, 323, 341, 427, 506, 148 and section 149 has been registered against 16 higher-ups of DBU at Amloh police station on September 16.
Taking cognizance of the illegal transfer of Kashmiri students to an unauthorized college located within the varsity campus, the Department of Medical Education and Research, Government of Punjab in an order had directed the varsity administration to pay Rupees 10 lakh compensation to each student.
“The DBU will not admit any new student for any nursing course from now onwards, and that a complete list of the 3rd year students of the session 2020-21 who have been affected by the illegal admissions, and need to be shifted to protect their future be provided to the Medical Education Department,” reads the order.
“It is also made clear that DBU will have to deposit the fees for the current year, i.e., 3rd year, to the institutions where the students will have to be shifted, as would inevitably be demanded by the respective colleges,” the order adds.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
