The families of the seven agricultural university students, arrested under UAPA for allegedly raising objectionable slogans after the Indian cricket team’s loss in the World Cup final on Wednesday, appealed to the police and Jammu Kashmir administration for leniency, as their careers are at stake.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti also emphasized the need for students to have another chance, amidst separate controversies involving the arrest of the seven undergraduates from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Kashmir, and the derogatory social media post by a student of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) that sparked protests.
The families, situated at Shuhuma in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir, met senior police officials of Ganderbal police and requested leniency for their children.
Advocate Mohammad Shafi spoke on behalf of the families, condemning the incident as unfortunate and uncalled for, and urged the authorities to consider leniency in the FIR against the students.
“I am speaking on behalf of all the seven families from Anantnag, Kulgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora that it was an unfortunate, uncalled for and unwarranted incident. We all condemn it. It should not have happened,” Advocate Mohammad Shafi told reporters.
“These students, hailing from Anantnag, Kulgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora, are from humble backgrounds. Their career prospects are in jeopardy, and we implore the authorities to safeguard their future,” Shafi expressed, acknowledging the Ganderbal police for their positive response and commitment to assist within legal boundaries.
Addressing the situation, Mufti highlighted the need for students to prioritize their careers and urged unity among students at the campus. She emphasized the importance of not jeopardizing their futures and advised against actions that could harm their careers.
“If any student has done it, it is wrong. Our students from SKUAST were booked under UAPA which is unjustified as they did not commit any crime. So, I hope that action will be taken against the student who has made derogatory remarks. But, I want to say this also that students should get another chance whether they are from SKUAST or this (NIT), their future should not be played with,” she said.
Regarding the arrests made under the UAPA, Mufti criticized the categorization of sports-related actions as criminal acts and advocated for fair treatment, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach in handling such cases.