Mufti Sayeed calls on PM, urges him to intervene PDP seeks apology from UP Govt GKNN/ABID BASHIR SmallerDefaultLargerSrinagar, Mar 6: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, Thursday evening called on the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh and urged him to intervene in the “serious situation” caused by the expulsion of Kashmiri students from a university in Uttar Pradesh and booking them on charges of sedition.A PDP spokesman said Mufti asked Dr Singh to intervene in the matter and have the cases revoked against the Kashmiri students who were expelled from the university “on flimsy charges of cheering for Pakistan cricket team during Indo-Pak match in the ongoing Asia Cup series.” Mufti told the PM that “this arbitrary and unjustifiable action can make every Kashmiri especially student community suspect across the country.”“The entire Kashmiri student community can become vulnerable and their sense of insecurity will increase. Cheering for any sports team is normal expression of a sportsman sprit and it should not be criminalized,” said Mufti.The PDP patron said while efforts should have been made to reduce the level of alienation in Kashmir, such incidents can only add further fuel to the fire.The PM assured Mufti that he would intervene effectively and speak to the UP chief minister on the subject and ask him to sort out the matter so that students don’t suffer in any manner and their career is safeguarded.PDP SEEKS APOLOGY FROM UP GOVTStating that cheering for Pakistani team in a cricket match isn’t any offense, the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party Thursday sought apology from Uttar Pradesh government for slapping sedition charges on Kashmir students. The party also took a strong note of JK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s response on the issue. The party said it was Omar who first branded Kashmiri youth as ‘suspects, drug addicts and stone-pelters.’Addressing media persons here, party chief spokesman Naeem Akhter said when PDP came to know about the incident, its legislators tried to seek reply from the government in the recently concluded budget session. “But the government came up with contradictory statements. First it said they are not aware and then they said they are looking into it,” he said.He said charges of sedition slapped on the Kashmiri students can prove dangerous. “We don’t think that cheering for Pakistan team in India-Pakistan cricket match is an offence. The UP government should revoke the FIR and tender an apology,” Akhter said. “The irony is that Kashmir students were not heard. The decision to slap them with the charges of sedition is one-sided.”Akther said the punishment imposed on the Kashmiri students can ruin their career and future. “The punishment is unacceptable to PDP,” he said.The spokesman said the development has once again proved “double standards” towards Kashmir.“When cheering or clapping by political stalwarts like Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for the Pakistan team doesn’t come under sedition, why only poor Kashmiri students should face the brunt?” he asked.“When same enthusiasm is shown by Kashmiri students, it is termed as a fresh rebellion and is dealt with sedition charges. Anybody can have his or her favorite team. What is wrong in that?”He said the “one-sided action” by the Meerut police reflects a new low in the approach of discrimination against Kashmir. Taking dig at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his ‘atrocious’ reaction on the incident, Akhter said Omar lacks moral authority to condemn the charges imposed against Kashmiri students. “It was he who first branded Kashmiri youth as anti-nationals, drug-addicts, suspects and stone-pelters. He maligned the image of Kashmiri youth right from the onset of his government,” Akther said.Castigating the UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and local unit of BJP in Meerut for going too harsh against the Kashmiri students, Akhter said it seems both parties have joined hands to destroy the career of Kashmiri students. “We demand their cases should be revoked and admissions restored. The FIR should also be withdrawn forthwith,” Akhter said.On what would be the future course of PDP if FIR isn’t revoked, he said the party would approach UPA leadership over the issue.
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 04:38:58 +0000
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