“An organized student’s activism can mobilize the students not only in the valley of Kashmir but also in Chenab valley and plains of Jammu. Students Activism can bridge the gaps between mountains of Ladakh and meadows of Kashmir it has a great and grand potential to connect rice fields of Jammu with the distant and remote parts of Gurez.” Writes: – ‘SYED TAJAMUL IMRAN’
The student engagement in political paradigm of every society is important, student groups often perform important functions in a politically activated or generated modern society like mobilizing and organizing disciplined protest, petition and a voice for a political change and many other internal changes in the society which today’s society needed . There was a time when politics related activities were only associated with the middle – aged and senior citizens of the society but with the passage of time, emerging of new trends , development , conscience and more importantly the intellectual and competent youth who directly or indirectly are playing different dynamic roles for nation building especially in the developed societies of the contemporary . However, it is pertinent to mention here that It was the youth of France who led the freedom campaign of Algeria in the streets of Paris.
Kashmir as we know has been longtime strip torn political zone that has always hogged limelight for all the wrong reasons. With the onset of violence in late 80s the student politics was banned in Kashmir. It was banned as there was looming threat that students could be great catalysts for resistance and revolutionary forces in Kashmir region. Pertinently, the Kashmir University Students Union has been banned intermittently since the armed rebellion of the late ’80s across Kashmir region, many governments from time to time only made promises to restore it but every-time they fail. Though, for temporary span of time the ban was revoked in 2007, it was imposed again in 2009 by the NC-Congress led coalition, after students protested against the double rape and murder in Shopion.
Thereafter the recent GDC Pulwama incident in which more than 50 students were injured by forces, Students in Kashmir from schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutes with bags on shoulders, wearing uniform, a basket ball in one hand and a stone in another were on the streets, after Kashmir University Students’ Union (KUSU) called for protests which was backed by All J&K Students Union (AJKSU) too with this clear intention that perpetrators who muzzled the students in the varsity must be dealt with iron hand but unfortunately what state administration did after GDC incident is an open case in Kashmir.
Moreover, following the call, students protested and like always raised pro – Aazadi and anti Indian slogans together . This time the boys as well as the girls in uniform with stones in hand have given a clear message that they got fed up with again and again deceits of incompetent political vultures of the state administration, are on roads in search of their birth right – a right which India is denying and ignoring from last more than seven decades to the people of Kashmir. This time it was a student of Kashmir, who was under a sage thus it became a matter of concern for the Government as well as the security agencies from Srinagar to Delhi . As every government from Sadiq’s to Qaism’s , Abdullaha’s to Mufti’s since decades in Kashmir have tried their best to keep educational institutes apolitical and aloof from their deceitful politics all shades of hypocrisy but this time the anger was that heated and volatile in nature that state administration despite implementing every corner of repression and other shameless strategies over students of Kashmir region.
However in Kashmir, in past, the restriction on student politics has come at a time when role of Modern student activist movements vary widely in subject, size, and success, with all kinds of students in different kinds of educational settings participating, including public and private school students; elementary, middle, senior, undergraduate, and graduate students; and all races, socio-economic backgrounds, and political perspectives. Student politics and union culture is important to this dimension. The lead of student unions backed by Mainstream Political parties have a temporary presence at the campus of Kashmir University without much success. On the other hand, the basic union and the voice of students in KU have never been allowed to flourish because of fear of those in power.
But the manner in which oppression has been unleashed on student politics especially student unions has imprinted negative ramifications and casted more anger in the hearts and minds of the youth.
Thus the current wave in which Students (Both male and female) can be seen is the anger of all these years where The government have lost the battle by banning social media sites and shutting down the educational institutes for almost one week now and continuous muzzling and muddling in the student matters.
In one such big event, on May 17 2010 Kashmir University witnessed noisy scenes when students boycotted classes to protest against the demolition of Kashmir University Students Union’s (KUSU) office. The Varsity on that day made it clear once again that no student politics would be allowed in the campus. That time the students alleged that authorities did not take them into confidence before demolishing the structure.
In an interview in 2016 to a monthly News magazine Dr Naseer Iqbal; Chief Proctor, Kashmir University has said, “As far the students’ union is concerned, that is not possible at our campus.” But the Fact of the matter is that in the absence of a students’ union both the students as well as the administration suffer, not only that but when universities fail in order to provide a good political class to a society it is because of that the persons who even don’t know the ABC of politics come and make a bloodbath in every summer in Kashmir.
Banning student politics by no means is an answer in a democratic society. The unions have many advantages and play a crucial role in forming policies of government in different countries. In modern democracies the representation of masses in general and youth in particular is vital so it is necessary that every citizen should on a proper representation in democracy, which vitalizes the role of student unions.
The student unions have many advantages and play a crucial role in forming policies of government in different countries and bring tremendous changes in every society . In modern democracies the representation of masses in general and youth in particular is vital so it is necessary that every citizen should on a proper representation in democracy.
A common Kashmiri student questions that when in other parts of the world Student union politics is flourishing and creating new horizons and parallels in different fields then what hampers the practice in the state ?
Kashmiri student gets perplexed why same manner cannot be adopted in Kashmir and educated youth given a chance to express them.
The lack of any organized platform is one of the basic reasons of lingual and regional and other disparities in the state of J&K. An organized student’s activism can mobilize the students not only in the valley of Kashmir but also in Chenab valley and plains of Jammu. Students Activism can bridge the gaps between mountains of Ladakh and meadows of Kashmir it has a great and grand potential to connect rice fields of Jammu with the distant and remote parts of Gurez.
Even the Political theorists and scientists have repeatedly argued that democratic politics is not only about the ritual of elections, political canvassing etc. or appealing to dumb audience but refers to the dialectical environment of debate, discussion, dialogue and dissent in a peaceful setting. The intention is not to bulldoze opposing ideas but recognizing the rights of others to have differing thoughts or ideologies than yours. The same should be the case for politics in the universities and colleges, according to these political pundits. Presently our legislature has become hub of amusement and quarrel. No parliamentary language is fallowed nor is there any respect for rule of law. This adversely affects the legislative process and academics so promotion of quality student politics/Activism is need of the hour.
Also last year in JNU Row there was a perception that Indian Home Ministry wanted to unleash a dictatorial and tyrannical crackdown on dissenting voices and students in Delhi, they should not make Kashmiri students convenient scapegoats, stigmatize them and ruin their careers and all this was aggravated due to absence of quality student politics and student union in the Kashmir.
Moreover, the need of the hour is to promote student union politics and allow student union participation so that situation will not turn worse, the least they can do for the betterment of the students of Kashmir region. More ever thousands of students including Girls in school uniforms (blazers, ties, scarves) from campuses across Kashmir with stones in hands this time have given a clear message to occupier that it is Azaadi for all.
Author: ‘Syed Tajamul Imran’ is a Student activist, President at All J&K Students Union (AJKSU), an MBA, With the Dream of Breaking the Status Quo. He can be reached at syedtajamul09@gmail.com.
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