Early Times Report
JAMMU, Apr 23: Universities are considered the highest institutions of learning. One of the responsibilities of the universities - apart from imparting instructions - is to produce responsible citizens committed to society and the country to which they belong. Unfortunately, it is not being done in the Kashmiri universities, including the University of Kashmir, Srinagar, and the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Awantipora.
If on the one hand, many students of these universities are taking the law of the land in their own hand and becoming active participants in the ongoing anti-national movement in the Valley, on the other hand, certain faculty members in these institutions have also been not lagging behind. Some of them are writing seditious articles and attacking India, the Indian Army and have virtually become part of the movement. And they are supporting the anti-India movement both overtly and covertly.
The past few days have witnessed disturbing events with many students of these universities interfering in the security-related matters, raising anti-India slogans and hurling stones at security forces. They know that the army was not responsible for what was done to the poor 15-year old Handwara girl and that it was the local youth who tried to molest her, but the seditious students in these universities, instead of going by the fact, attacked the army and other security forces, who have been discharging their duties against heavy odds, including restrictions imposed on them by the establishment in New Delhi.
It was expected that Governor of J&K, who is also the Chancellor of Universities, would turn his attention to what had been happening in these universities and stem the rot by pulling up the administration, but it was not to be. There appears nothing on the horizon which could even remotely suggest that the Chancellor had directed the universities' administration to take action against the anti-nationals in these universities. Had he intervened, things would not have turned alarming in these educational institutions.
It would be only desirable if the Chancellor turns his attention to these universities, which have virtually become dens of anti-national activities. It is already too late. Anymore leniency would further embolden these anti-nationals to heighten their activities. Even otherwise, these anti-nationals in the universities have to be reined in because if it doesn't happen, there is the possibility of the under-attack security forces taking action against them in self-defence. |
