NIT Srinagar's non-local students demand Indian flag at campus, better security

Even as the NIT Srinagar management and the government struggle to maintain calm in the campus, non-local students of the institute have put forth a list of demands to the institute's director. The students have sought adequate security in the college and also want the Indian flag hoisted at either the main gate or at the fountain in the campus.

They have maintained that permanent security should be provided from outsiders/locals who pelt stones at college students. Students have also demanded action against faculty members who are allegedly involved in “anti-national" activities.

The students claimed that due to the “anti-national" activities, those of them who are not residents of Kashmir have faced problems like life threats, in person as well as on social media.

Here is the full list of demands of the NIT students:

1. National flag should be hoisted at main gate/fountain (The state flag may be hoisted as well).

2. Permanent security should be provided from outsiders/locals who pelt stones at college students. (Roof tops of houses adjacent to campus make up for a meeting place for goons, even canteen shopkeeper-Khan Restaurant pelt stones on adjacent boys' hostel "Indus").

3. Equality and transparency during all examinations, events and activities held at NIT Srinagar. There should be no academic harassment by the faculty. Action must be taken against faculty and administration members who are involved in anti-national activity and violence. They have even threatened the students.

4. As Jammu and Kashmir Police has not been able to provide security and safe passage to leave the campus rather has lathi-charged the students and shot Tear Gas Shells on them. Therefore central forces should be engaged for the security of students of NIT Srinagar.

5. As fake reports and news has been spread and reported to the media, a full coverage of all the events that occurred should be given to the media along with current situation prevailing in the campus.

The students have threatened that until the mentioned demands are met, the university shall remain shut.

The Registrar of the NIT has claimed that the management of the institute reached out to the students and has agreed to accept some of the demands.

Meanwhile, the Human Resource Development Ministry (HRD) Ministry will be sending a two-member fact finding team to NIT Srinagar on Wednesday to assess the law and order situation following unrest in the campus. The ministry officials say they are in touch with NIT's management to ensure that normalcy prevails in the campus.

At least four non-Kashmiri students sustained injuries in a police lathicharge at NIT Srinagar on Tuesday. Two companies of CRPF had to be called in to maintain calm after trouble broke out again at the campus on Tuesday.

After last week, clashes broke out again as outstation students expressed a sense of insecurity and attempted to leave the campus. Police personnel on duty at the NIT tried to reassure the students that they were safe inside the campus but when they were not pacified, the police had to resort to lathicharge in which some students got injured.

As per sources, trouble started when around 400 third year non-local students stayed away from classes saying they wanted to stage a demonstration to raise academic issues with the administration.

Police were called in after the students refused to disperse even after the director gave an assurance that their complaints will be addressed. But, some of the students insisted that they wanted to take out a march outside the campus, which was disallowed by police. An officer said this was done to ensure that no clashes happened on the campus or outside.

In the evening, the students allegedly used force in a bid to go out of the campus which the police again prevented on security grounds. The students then allegedly pushed around the DSP incharge and pelted stones at the police who resorted to lathicharge.

On Friday last, the campus had witnessed clashes between local and non-local students over India's defeat in the semi-final match in the World T20 tournament. After the clashes, the NIT authorities had shut down the institute which was reopened on Tuesday.