Separatist leaders have described charge sheet in the JNU case against students including seven Kashmiris scholars as “vindictive politics for electoral gains played by rulers in New Delhi.” They have said that “these fictitious charges should immediately be withdrawn!.”
The Delhi Police on Monday filed its charge sheet in a court against former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) president Kanhaiya Kumar in a sedition case lodged in 2016.
The Delhi Police also charged former students -- Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya -- besides seven Kashmiris, for allegedly shouting anti-India slogans during an event organised on JNU campus on February 9, 2016, to commemorate the hanging of Parliament-attack mastermind Afzal Guru.
Advertisement
The Hurriyat Conference condemned the charge-sheet filed by the Delhi Police against seven Kashmiri students in a 2016 sedition case, saying it will ruin their careers.
The leaders who have formed joint resistance leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik demanded the withdrawal of the charges. Taking to Twitter, Mirwaiz said the JRL denounces the “vindictive politics” of BJP led Centre “for electoral gains”.
Mirwaiz said the 2016 ‘sedition case’ will ruin the lives and careers of these Kashmiri students.
“Joint Resistance Leadership strongly denounces the vindictive politics for electoral gains played by rulers in New Delhi! charge sheeting students, including 7 Kashmiris Aqeeb, Basharat, Muneeb, Umair, Muneeb, Rayees, Khalid in so-called 2016 JNU “sedition“ case will ruin their lives and careers! These fictitious charges should immediately be withdrawn!”, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq tweeted.
Advertisement
Seven Kashmiri students--Aquib Hussain, Mujeeb Hussain, Muneeb Hussain, Umar Gul, Rayees Rasool, Bashir Bhat and Basharat Ali-- are among the 10 people who have been named in the charge sheet submitted by Delhi police. Of seven Kashmiri scholars, four are PhD scholars, who at present pursue research from universities like JNU, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Jamia Millia Islamia.
Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also voiced concern over the issue and described the timing of charge sheet as suspicious.
“Timing of the chargesheet couldnt be any more suspicious. When UPA was in power, it decided to send Afzal Guru to the gallows and to this day J&K is paying a price,” Mehbooba tweeted.
“Wonder how many more Kashmiris along with their families will have to pay a price to secure the political fortunes of national parties.”
“No surprises here. We are months away from the 2019 general election and like always, using Kashmiris to score extra political points with the Indian electorate has become somewhat of a pre – requisite,” Mehbooba said.
In the charge sheet, the police have also named 36 students as suspects, including Shehla Rashid, also a Kashmiri.
