The heavy police presence at the United Theological College (UTC) here was the first indication of the sensitive nature of the programme organised by Amnesty International on Saturday.
There was little indication, however, that the programme would be overshadowed by the spectre of a sedition case.
At 7 p.m., the campaign, which aimed to highlight the plight of Kashmiri families who lost their kin in military action, started on a sombre note. The auditorium was packed with students, people hailing from the Valley and members of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community.
Videos were played, narrating stories of three killed Kashmiri youths as well as an emotional speech by Ali Mohammad Shah who lost his son to alleged police torture.
Through its 90-minute duration, the event saw minor arguments: first, with Kashmiri Pandits taking objection when their community’s flight in the 1980s was described as “thousands of Pandits” instead of “lakhs” that they preferred; and then, during the panel discussion when a Kashmiri Pandit described the community as the “first settlers” of the region and proclaimed the Indian Army to be the “best behaved” in the world.
However, civility was maintained as members of both groups and the organisers calmed down those engaged in arguments, which centred on blaming the other for the conflict in Kashmir.
The flashpoint, which led to the controversial sedition case, came after the programme abruptly ended at 8.30 p.m.
Popular Kashmiri hip-hop artist M.C. Kash had then taken stage and was preparing to render his second song when the mike was taken from him.
There was anger, both from the singer and the crowd, as there was an expectation that he would sing five songs.
Kashmiri students broke into slogans of “Aazaadi,” while outside the hall, Kashmiri Pandits and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists, who had then arrived, shouted “Bharat Mata ki Jai.”
Under police protection, the Kashmiri students made their way outside the college.
