Srinagar: J&K Students Association Tuesday wrote to Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa urging him to drop sedition charges against three Kashmiri students, and revoke their college suspension while also requesting for their transfer from Hubbali to Bangalore City.
The three Kashmiri students – Basit Aashiq Sofi from Baramulla, Talib Majeed Wani and Amir Mohiuddin Wani from Anantnag – were arrested and charged with sedition in February in Hubbali city of Dharwad district of Karnataka after an alleged controversial video of theirs went viral on social media.
The students, after spending nearly six months in jail, have been recently let out on bail but ordered not to leave Bangalore city.
In a statement, the spokesperson of the association, Nasir Khuehami, said the trio belong to financially poor families and were admitted in the K.L.E Institute of Technology Hubbali through central Govt Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS).
“They were suspended by the college authorities on some baseless and concocted allegations levelled against them after a doctored video uploaded on social media was spread widely which was falsely attributed to them resulting in their character assassination,” he said.
The three students were called by the police authorities for questioning and later on released.
“However, after unprecedented protests by right-wing elements, the students were booked and an unreasonable case was framed against them,” the spokesman said.
“The three students have always worked for communal harmony and have abided by demonstrating the spirit of showing love for their country which attests the fact that they are innocent and have not committed any offense whatsoever. The students should not be deprived of the fundamental right to education,” he said.
He added that the sedition charges against them were an “unacceptable harsh punishment framed after baseless allegations which will ruin their future and will further alienate them.”
“The charges will have serious psychosomatic consequences on the students, hence should be immediately withdrawn,” he said.
“The students were lodged in jail for six months and due to Covid-19, their family members were worried as their health was deteriorating each day,” he added.
The association requested Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa to urgently look into the matter and give a chance to the students to continue their studies.
“The students have no other source of income to continue their education except the scholarship provided by the Government of India through PMSSS in their Favour. We urge the Chief Minister to drop the sedition charges against them, revoke their suspension and transfer their College from Hubbali to Bangalore City, so that a safe environment is provided to them to heal their psychological trauma and to continue their education without any further hindrance,” read the statement.
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