Governor faces protests as KU refuses to postpone Science Congress

By Syed Nashir Ali Gillani

Srinagar, Apr 02: Governor N N Vohra, who is also the Chancellor of Kashmir University (KU), on Monday, had to face pro-freedom slogans, on his arrival to the varsity.
He was there to attend the 13th session of J&K Science Congress.
Vohra, who arrived at the University at around 11:15 AM had to make his entry through the VIP gate as the main gate was closed because of the protests, carried out by the students against the Shopian killings.
“The protests were going on near administrative block. Around 300 to 400 hundred students were protesting, among them were female students as well. The VIP gate was thrown open for the entry. At the varsity, besides pro freedom slogans, governor also came across the funeral prayers, offered in absentia by the students for those killed in Shopian,” an eyewitness said.
He said that the slogans reverberated for a long time.
“Throughout the proceedings, the slogans reverberated. Usually around 1000 faculty members attend the congress session. But only 200 were present. The students were stopped by the Police from entering the convocation hall. The presence was thin from student’s side as well as from the faculty side. The governor left the varsity at 12:30PM,” the eyewitness added
The M A K hostel authorities had told the students on Sunday that the hostel has been closed for two days but students spent whole night in a local mosque, just to take part in the protests.
“The students started arriving at 07:00AM.They started protests raised slogans. The female students along with the male students were stopped from entering the convocation hall by the Police,” a source in the varsity said.
A University official on condition of anonymity said three Cabinet Ministers Imran Raza Ansari, Sajad Lone and Syed Altaf Bukhari skipped the function. “Like these Ministers, 70 per cent of invitees didn’t turn up,” he added.
Well-placed sources said that Vice Chancellor Kashmir University faced big embarrassment due to student protest. Sources added that police had requested VC Kashmir University to shift the ‘Function’ to SKICC, however, the incumbent VC had assured them that all measures were at place to ensure smooth conduct of 13th Science Congress-2018.
Meanwhile, during the convocation Governor, as per an attendant, had made a scathing attack to the university authorities saying that the varsity “had gone back 60 years”.