AMU’s 1200 students threaten to leave on October 17

Following the slapping of sedition charges against three Kashmiri students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), the entire flock of 1200 students have threatened to leave for home on October 17. They have demanded the sedition charges be dropped against those three students who reportedly held a prayer meeting for Hizbul Mujahideen  commander Manan Bashir Wani.

The students have submitted a letter to the AMU vice-chancellor, which was handed over to AMU Procter Mohsin Khan on Saturday evening. Former AMU students union vice-president Sajjad Rathar also supported the students in their fight. “If this vilification does not stop, more than 1,200 Kashmiri students will leave for their homes in the Kashmir Valley on October 17 as a last option,” he said.

Rathar termed the entire incident as ‘vendetta’. “The option of holding Namaaz-e-Janaza (prayer meeting) in absentia was dropped after the AMU authorities did not give the permission. If no prayer meeting was held as confirmed by all official agencies, the slapping a case of sedition against three Kashmiri students is simply a vendetta, harassment and denial of justice,” Rathar added.

However, AMU spokesperson Shafay Kidwai trashed all allegations by the Kashmiri students and said “no innocent would be framed”, while making it clear that “there is zero tolerance for any anti-national activity on AMU campus”.

It may be recalled that three AMU students were charged with sedition for allegedly raising anti-national slogans and their efforts to hold prayer meet in memory of Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen commander, on October 12.

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