Three suspended Kashmiri students address the media in Srinagar. PHOTO: AFP
Kashmiris in the Indian-ruled part of the valley are known to support Pakistan unreservedly in sporting battles with India and this particular episode is, perhaps, unique only in that it happened on a campus in the heart of India. The university vice-chancellor says the students’ behaviour was not conducive to peace on the campus. That may be so. But rusticating students from universities is not likely to make the Kashmiri students India’s fans. The resentment they nurse towards New Delhi is only bound to heighten after such episodes. It will be in the fitness of things that India sees the root cause of Kashmiri people’s disenchantment with it that obligates it to keep them under sway at the point of a gun. Otherwise, it will keep suffering the embarrassment of the kind it did on one of its main city campuses.
Islamabad, meanwhile, has said that if the students wish to pursue their studies in Pakistan, “our hearts and academic institutions are open to them”. This is a good gesture on our part. But the best course would be for India not to sully its reputation by being seen as lacking the spirit of sportsmanship. It should quickly tackle a situation that is increasingly making it the laughing stock in the eyes of the world and ignore a trivial case of some students throwing their weight behind ‘the wrong team’.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2014.
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@Waqar Qureshi: better than lynching mobs of naya pakistan.......... u people love traitors and jihadis no surprise boom boom so common......y u no understand?? 1 more thing take kashmiris.....we no give kashmir....boooooooooooom
@Ali Tanoli: Yeah UN has said nothing about Balochistan too. Very shameful.
I prefer that a vocal (non-violent) cheering for an opposing team is preferable to violent event. Some of the British football fans are known for hooliganism in Europe. I wonder, however, when a Kashmir cricket team plays and loses to Pakistan team, will these students still be cheering for a Pakistani team.
When u sitting in against country how could u do it get some sense men.
I think freedom of speech should be allowed but how much this is the great question even in america after 9/11 that freedom was gone and specialy when its come to palestine and kashmir its finish ... even united nation dont say nothing shamefully.
some students (on the full scholarship from the central government)might have come fully prepared to create an atmosphere of hatred in the campus. They very well know that freedom of speech granted in India will allow them to chant loudly in favour of Pakistan and also against Hindustan Including HINDUSTAN MURDABAD. It was quite expected that this may create some sort of violence and some hard steps may be taken by university management and or local administration and they can yell as victims( for discrimination) , allege fake democracy and fake secularism to disrepute. This aspect can not be fully ignored ( though i wish it to be untrue). Higher education to Kashmiri students with full scholarship in universities in India's heartland is one of the step for trust building which has however received a small blow and needs repair.
Other charges which are still enough to ruin the careers of young men have not been yet lifted. Just sedition charges have been dropped and you call it sanity? Source: Just sedition charges dropped other equally bad charges still there
@rakib Well said.
The whole issue was selectively analysed and selective judgement were given.
In past, in Mumbai, we had problems of miscreants breaking firecrackers.
Kashmiris have problem with India and they want to cheer any team playing against India. But that should not become anti India slug fest, that also in heart of India. Will never be tolerated.
(It is reported to have dropped charges of sedition against 67 Kashmiri students studying in a private university of the state for cheering the Pakistan cricket team....)
Here cheering was not the issue, jeering was. That is not to condone the wrong action of University. But, please appreciate we are talking of a communally sensitive State whose population is bigger than that of Pak, living within an area that is one third of Pakistan. Things can be volatile The slogans by Kashmiri boys were a political statement & not mere sporting expression. It was their choice to say Zindabad to Pakistan. But not their right to say Murdabad to India, legally speaking. Section 124A of IPC (aka Sedition laws) comes in to effect. "Sedition is said to have occurred when any attempt is made to bring the government of the day into disaffection." That's the interpretation. Disgustingly Draconian of Raj vintage. But,law! The Cop proposed, the Politician disposed. Yadav CM-UP showed he was decisive, Abdulllah CM-J&K showed he would stand up for Kashmiris, Singh PM-India showed he was benign. Charge withdrawn. Much ado about little something.