1,200 Kashmiri students threaten to quit AMU if sedition charges against colleagues not withdrawn

Nearly 1,200 Kashmiri students who are studying at the Aligarh Muslim University have threatened to quit the university en masse against the suspension order and sedition charges against two students. They had allegedly offered funeral prayers in absentia of Hizbul Mujahideen commander, Manan Wani in the campus.

In a letter forwarded to the Vice Chancellor and various other authorities at the AMU, the Kashmiri students have said that there were no prayers offered inside the campus and no anti-national slogans raised.

The AMU had earlier suspended and filed sedition charges against two students Waseem Ayoub Malik and Abdul Haseeb Mir and issued show cause notice to seven other students.

However, the order has revoked strong reactions from Kashmiri students community who say that there is a vilification campaign going on against them purportedly and that they haven't broken any rule in the varsity.

The letter reads, "No prayers or any other activity was held and the directions of AMU, Proctor were fully observed. Meanwhile, some non-Kashmiri students armed with lathis attacked the sitting students and caused a massive disturbance and noisy scenes."

The students further demanded an immediate withdrawal of sedition and various other charges against their colleagues and if the university order is not revoked, more than 1,000 Kashmiri students who are on the rolls of varsity will surrender their degrees on October 17 and leave for their homes.

The letter has been forwarded through Sajjad Subhan Rathar, a Kashmiri student, who is also the Vice-President of the Aligarh Muslim University Students Union.