Two Dehradun Universities Shut Doors On Kashmiri Students

Several Kashmiri students have reportedly left the city temporarily following the alleged harassment.

File image of Alpine College of Management and Technology.

(Photo Courtesy: Alpine Group of Institutes)

Amid news of Kashmiri students being targeted after the Pulwama terror attack which claimed lives of at least 40 CRPF personnel on Thursday, 14 February, two Dehradun-based colleges have denied admission to students from Kashmir in the upcoming academic session, reported The Indian Express.

Several Kashmiri students have also reportedly left the city temporarily following the alleged harassment.

Baba Farid Institute of Technology’s Principal Dr Aslam Siddiqui wrote a letter on Friday, 15 February, saying “Nae satra mein kisi bhi Kashmiri chhatra ko daakhila nahi diya jaega (no new Kashmiri student will be admitted in the fresh session).”

The letter was written as an undertaking to the students’ union of the Dehradun-based DAV PG College who, along with members of the ABVP, VHP, and Bajrang Dal, had led the protests outside colleges on Friday, The Indian Express report said.

“Students’ Union president, we assure you that if any Kashmiri student is found engaged in any anti-national activity, then the student will be expelled from the institute,” the letter stated. Around 250 students from Jammu and Kashmir study in BFIT.

Siddiqui told The Indian Express that around 400-500 people from ABVP, VHP and Bajrang Dal had protested in front of the institute between 1 pm and 5 pm and demanded an assurance that students from Kashmir be expelled from the university.

“I tried explaining that expelling students mid-term would affect their careers. Finally, keeping in mind the safety of the Kashmiri students, I had to give in writing that we won’t accept any Kashmiri student from the next session.”

Dr Aslam Siddiqui to<i> The Indian Express</i>

Another university, Alpine College of Management and Technology's Director SK Chauhan also issued a letter stating the same.

However, Chauhan said that his institute will not allow Kashmiri students only if all the institutes in the state do so. This came after protests were held outside the university on Friday demanding expulsion of all Kashmiri students.

“We haven’t been able to approach all institutes, but we will do so and get an undertaking that they won’t take in any new Kashmiri student.”

Jitendra Singh Bisht DAV Students’ Union president to The Indian Express

(With inputs from The Indian Express)