As student activists debate Article 370, university administrations, state govts crack whip on dissenting voices

While the Centre's move to invalidate Article 370 has sparked off a political slugfest between the NDA and sections of the Opposition parties, the issue has also resonated on university campuses. In several parts of the country, a section of university students held protests condemning the Centre's actions.State governments and university administrations have taken a stern view of students opposing the Centre's standpoint on the issue.[caption id="attachment_7164961" align="alignleft" width="380"] A student protest against the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Reuters[/caption]

Kashmiri students deplore 'expansionism'

Administrations crack whip on discussion groups

At the Panjab University in Chandigarh, a talk on Article 370 planned by a student group was cancelled on Tuesday, and the university authorities claimed that the police had told them that no event on the Kashmir issue would be allowed inside the campus.While the student group — PSU (Lalkaar) — condemned the "authoritarian" behaviour of the varsity, a professor was quoted as saying by The Tribune, "We are not imposing any restriction on the students. We have asked them to give us an application regarding the discussion."The professor also claimed that the police presence was due to the scheduled arrival of Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu at the campus. Naidu on Wednesday gave a speech at the university on the abrogation of Article 370, and said that the move is not "communal" but is a matter of the country's security.Meanwhile, at the other end of the country, the Central University of Tamil Nadu sought a reply from a group of 30 students with respect to a meeting held by them last Wednesday to discuss the same provision.According to News18, two days after the Centre announced the legislative changes in Jammu and Kashmir, the university issued a circular which stated, "Anybody or group of persons who indulge in activities and which is a threat to security and integrity of India will not be tolerated and stern action will be taken against them, including dismissal from the university without conduct of any inquiry, followed by criminal action under the IPC.”Last Wednesday, posters appeared on the walls of the institution expressing solidarity with Kashmiris. The university's management filed a police complaint to find those responsible for putting up the posters, as mentioned in an article in The News Minute.In a similar vein, the University of Hyderabad (UoH) last week released an order which prohibited all protests and agitations in the varsity campus."With reference to the letter dated 5 July, 2019, issued by SHO, Gachibowli, that as per notification issued by the Commissioner of Police, Cyberabad ... dated 24 June, 2019, that there is a prohibition of assembly of five or more persons in the limits of Cyberabad limits under section 144 of CrPC...," read the order released by University's registrar Sardar Singh."In this connection, under the directions of the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate, it is to inform that all the protests and agitations are prohibited in the Hyderabad University campus with immediate effect and assembling of five or more persons at one place are also prohibited forthwith until further orders," the order read.With inputs from agencies