UGC writes to VCs of universities across country to ensure safety of Kashmiri students

The UGC took the step after receiving a direction from the Human Resource Development Ministry. The HRD Minsitry had asked the body to issue an advisory to all the universities to ensure that the security of Kashmiri students is not compromised.

New Delhi: Following the attack on Kashmiri student as an after-effect of Pulwama incident, the University Grants Commission on Friday wrote to the vice-chancellors of universities across the country asking them to ensure safety of Kashmiri students on the campus. The Commission has asked the varsities to maintain peace and harmony in the campus. The UGC took the step after receiving a direction from the Human Resource Development Ministry. The HRD Minsitry had asked the body to issue an advisory to all the universities to ensure that the security of Kashmiri students is not compromised. The letter comes two days after Kashmiri students studying in Yavatmal in Maharashtra were assaulted allegedly by Yuva Sena, which is the youth wing of Shiv Sena. The students were asked to chant “Vande Mataram” to prove their “patriotism.” The letter read: “In the context of reports being received through various media regarding the safety of students from Kashmir studying in various higher educational institutions, all universities and colleges affiliated to them are advised to ensure the safety and protection of the students on the campus. They may keep a watch on the situation and seek support of law and order machinery in case of any untoward incident.” It requested the vice-chancellors "to look into the matter personally for the safely of the students and maintaining peace and harmony in universities/colleges". Earlier on Friday, the Supreme Court directed chief secretaries and DGPs of 11 states to take "prompt" and necessary action to prevent incidents of threat, assault and social boycott of Kashmiris in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi also directed that police officers, who were earlier appointed as nodal officers to deal with incidents of mob lynching, would be now responsible to deal with cases of alleged assault on Kashmiris. The bench asked the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to give wide publicity to nodal officers so that they can be approached by those facing such incidents. "The chief secretaries, the DGPs and the Delhi Police Commissioner are directed to take prompt and necessary action to prevent incidents of threat, assault, social boycott etc. against Kashmiris and other minorities," the bench also comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna said.