Horticulture University should not be set up at the cost of SKUAST (K), say protesting students

Srinagar, Mar 19: Hundreds of students from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST) Monday staged a massive protest against Government proposal to carve out Horticulture University from SKUAST itself. The protesting students said that they are not opposing the government move but this horticulture university should not be set up at the cost of SKUAST Kashmir.
The protesting students assembled here in Press Enclave Srinagar who raised slogans against State as well as Central Government.
While talking to reporters, Amir Bashir, SKUAST Students Union said that the proposal of Government to create Horticulture University out of SKUAST is mere a formality. “We are not opposing the setting up of horticulture university but it should not be carved out from SKUAST Kashmir,” he said.
He said Horticulture University is in fact need of the hour, but it should not meet the fate of Central University that even after being established in 2009 proved only a rehabilitation centre for a few professors at the cost of Kashmir university. Central University, till date, exists in name only and we are sure proposed horticulture university will meet the same fate,” he said.
The protesting students said that it is of no fun to cut the body party of SKUAST and adjust that part to somewhere else. “If government wants to set up a University, it should create it with new infrastructure and land. It should not touch the SKUAST,” they said.
They further added that creation of new University will pave the way for employment, however, the present proposal of government to set up horticulture university out of SKUAST will kill that concept and it will not generate any employment.
“We have to decide to boycott class work till government doesn’t change it’s decision.We will go for indefinite strike if government persists to carve out proposed horticulture university out of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir. (CNS)