In yet another shocking development in the National Institute of Technology (NIT) issue, the PDP-BJP state government stopped more than 40 people, including veteran film actor Anupam Kher and film-maker Ashoke Pandit, from visiting the institute premises to support the protests of non-native students, on Sunday. Kher was detained at the airport.
The ‘outsider’ students have been reportedly not attending their lectures since Monday, after they clashed with the Kashmiri students who allegedly rejoiced over West Indies’ victory in the World T20 semi-final match that was held on March 31. Two vehicles and a bus with supporters of the ‘Chalo NIT’ unit that was organised by the BJP national secretary R.P. Singh, were stopped near Lakhanpur, on Saturday night.
“Thirty to forty people were stopped in the night. On Sunday, two cars which had managed to enter Jammu city, but they were turned back,” stated a senior police authority on the request of anonymity.
The non-local students have been boycotting classes since Monday after they clashed with the Kashmiri students who allegedly celebrated West Indies’ victory over India in the World T20 semi-final match on March 31.
“Landed in Srinagar. Will go to meet the students and give them a warm hug and a special gift… I have been told by J&K police that I cannot enter Srinagar city at all,” Kher had tweeted.
Surprised by the turn of events, he simultaneously praised the outstation students, further stating that the nation ‘salutes their nationalism’.
If sources are to be believed, it is being said that the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had asked the coalition partner BJP to “consider the sensibilities of the State and its complex realities on the ground”.
Source: The Hindu.
Tags: J&K Jammu & Kashmir National Institute of Technology NIT Srinagar NIT
