The alleged celebrations by Kashmiri students of the National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, after India’s loss in the WorldT20 semifinals against West Indies on March 31, led to clashes between local and non-local students. This incident in the Kashmir valley has once again brought the question of nationalism, intolerance and political acumen to the foreground. Since then, the situation has worsened as several non-Kashmiri students have left their campuses without attending exams and are demanding that the campuses be shifted out of Srinagar. Students from various universities express their views.
Sreedevi Jayarajan, Asian College of Journalism, ChennaiAfter the JNU uproar, NIT has decided to grab the spotlight for this debate on anti-nationalism. What’s important to understand here is that freedom of expression in any form should be embraced as long as it does not negatively affect the fellow citizens. However, the very bodies of the State that are supposed to protect the citizens are taking actions to quell their right to free expression and inflicting violence on them.
Navnith Ramakrishnan, B.E Computer Science, College of Engineering, ChennaiThe entire issue has been blown out of proportion. What should have been sorted out by college authorities is now a nationwide debate. The NIT Srinagar situation highlights a serious problem in the country — intolerance. People should have the freedom to cheer for any side they like. Love towards one’s country can be displayed in a variety of ways. It’s sad that the cricket team you support is an indicator of patriotism. It’s also unhealthy that we are focusing so much on the outcome of a game, when there are more serious issues to be handled in the country. We should learn to enjoy the sport and leave it at that.
Anirban Ghosh, B.Tech. IT, Indian Institute of Information Technology, AllahabadThe violent repression and the attacks on the students of the NIT Srinagar by the State police is tragic and totally uncalled for. Any such alleged incident, which has likely sparked the protests inside the campus, must first be independently investigated by the institute administration without any bias and taking into account, the stands of all groups involved. Instead of politicising the issue, the focus should be on bringing back normality at this institute and deciding the future course of action based on internal investigation. Violence can never be the solution to any problem and would only make things murkier.
Kiran Krishna, MBA, SRM University, KattankulathurA campus filled with army men is definitely not a good environment for students. The government could have handled the situation better and it seems like the media is also trying to deepen the rift between Kashmiri and non-Kashmiri students. These are sensitive issues. The media should report with more responsibility about such delicate matters. It is unfortunate that some people have again made this into a nationalist vs anti-nationalist issue.
