On Monday, students from Jammu Kashmir studying at Panjab University, Chandigarh and its affiliated colleges were asked to send their details including their Name, Father’s name, Date of Birth, Class/Course, Permanent Address, Local Address, Contact number and email to their respective department offices.
A student, whose classes for even semester were about to begin in March, wishing anonymity said that their department had asked them to send these details within a couple of hours. “We have no idea why we of all the regions have been asked to send details. Our friends from Jammu and Kashmir in other departments have also been asked to do the same,” the student added.
Meanwhile, earlier today, Hindustan Times reported that the Government of India special bureau additional commissioner had sought details of students from J&K from the PU Registrar “for official record purpose.” HT also said in the report that the communication was also sent to nearly 200 colleges affiliated with Panjab University in U.T. Chandigarh and the state of Punjab within two days.
Students, however, were confused and anxious after the said communication from their respective departments.
It’s pertinent to mention that a few days earlier, colleges in Karnataka, too, started profiling of Kashmiri students, raising concern among the students. The move also received widespread condemnation. “What a shame that Kashmiri students are being singled out & profiled by the authorities in Karnataka as though they are foreign nationals,” former Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir had tweeted then.
Nasir Khuehami, the president of the Jammu Kashmir Students Association, has said that their organization was reaching out to the authorities in Punjab as to why students from Kashmir specifically were being profiled.