J&K Students Bruised in Haryana, Govt Says Injuries ‘Minor’

Jammu—State Assembly on Saturday witnessed noisy scenes over the assault on two Kashmiri students from Rajouri district in Haryana, with several opposition members staging a walkout during the zero hour, accusing the government of failing to check such incidents. While the students were bruised, the government said injuries were “minor”.

The state government assured the House that the matter has been taken up with Haryana and three persons have been arrested in the case.

The opposition members also questioned why the government had called an all-party meeting to discuss upcoming panchayat elections, when it has already taken all decisions in this regard.

After the house assembled, BJP state president Sat Sharma drew the attention of the house to the death of three Army personnel in an avalanche in Gurez sector of Bandipora district in north Kashmir and the force rescuing a civilian patient despite adverse weather condition yesterday.

“The opposition should also acknowledge and praise the sacrifice and the rescue effort of the Army… They only consider it their duty to criticise the forces,” he said amid thumping of desks by the BJP legislators.

Deputy Speaker Nazir Ahmad Gurezi, during the question hour, said the Indian Air Force and the Army were doing a great service to the nation which is praise worthy.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister A R Veeri intervened to make a statement before the start of the question hour, assuring the house that the government was serious on both the issues raised by the opposition.

“As far as Haryana incident is concerned, an FIR has already been lodged by (Haryana police).

The Minister said that immediately after the incident was reported, J&K’s Principal Secretary Home on the directions of Chief Minister contacted Home Secretary of Haryana and Deputy Commissioner Mahendragarh.

He said a case has been registered and investigation is taken up by the Mahendragarh police into the incident. Besides, the DGP J&K also took up the matter with DGP Haryana. So far, 3 persons have been arrested and further action is being taken against the persons involved.

Giving details, the Minister said that reports were received that 2 students namely Aftab and Amjad residents of Rajouri studying in Central University Mahendragarh in Haryana were attacked by some miscreants thereby causing “minor” injuries to them.

With regard to another incident of detention of Kashmiri student by railway police, the Minister informed the House that a group of students from SKUAST after completing their training course at Bhopal boarded a train from Bhopal to Delhi.

Reportedly, in the train a woman clicked a photograph with a caption which created confusion in which railway police detained one of the students Muhammad Idrees of Anantnag district, he said.

However, on the intervention of SKUAST and police authorities, the student has been released and is on his way back to Kashmir, the Minister informed.

Two students from Rajouri district were attacked by some miscreants (yesterday), resulting in “minor injuries” to them.

“On the directions of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Principal Secretary (Home) talked to his counterpart. Besides the state DGP S P Vaid contacted the DGP of Haryana. So far three persons have been arrested in connection with the assault,” he said.

After National Conference MLA Ali Mohammad Sagar questioned the logic behind holding an all-party meeting over panchayat elections “when everything has been decided”, Veeri said, “we are serious about the meeting which is being chaired by the chief minister herself.

“It is the decision of the cabinet and the outcome of the all-party meet will be discussed at the cabinet and its decision will be final,” he said.

The question hour passed off peacefully barring a walkout by BJP legislator Choudhary Sukhnadan over “non-satisfactory” answer to his question related to farmers.

However, the zero hour saw opposition members vociferously raising the incidents of attacks on Kashmiri students in others states.

Congress MLA G M Saroori claimed that a youth from Kishtwar was killed outside the state and demanded a statement from the government.

NC MLA Altaf Kaloo also read out a purported SMS from a student in which he alleged that they were attacked outside the state. NC members and several Congress legislators later staged a walk out to protest against what they called the government’s failure to stop such attacks.

While leaving the house, Kaloo pointed towards ruling PDP legislators and said, You too are Kashmiris.

PDP MLA Mohammad Ashraf Mir said I am Kashmiri first, then Indian”.

Later talking to reporters, Sagar said the attack on students outside the state is leading to alienation which is very dangerous.

“An impression goes especially in the Valley that we are not safe and secure which is a wrong signal,” he said and demanded stern action against the “fringe elements” involved in such attacks .

He said that such persons cannot be friends of the country and are enemies of the nation.

“Everyone is free to go anywhere in any college or university and if he is restricted in the name of religion, region or state, that is not a good thing, the MLA said.

“This is terrible & goes against the spirit of what @PMOIndia @narendramodi ji said from the ramparts of the Red Fort. I hope the authorities in Haryana act quickly against this violence,” Omar Abdullah had tweeted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15 urged a more conciliatory approach towards Kashmir, saying problems can be solved by “embracing” the people rather than resorting to abuse or bullets.

“Na goli se, na gaali se, Kashmir ki samasya suljhegi gale lagaane se (Kashmir’s problems can be solved only with embracing the people of Kashmir, not with bullets or abuses),” Modi had said.

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