Days after the expulsion of 67 Kashmiri students by Meerut’s Vivekanand Subharti University, clashes were reported between Kashmiri and other students in Noida International University.
Kashmiri students alleged that they were forced to cheer against Pakistan. They claimed that they are being targeted regularly by other students while university administration does not pay heed to their complaints.
On Saturday night, a clash broke out between Kashmiri and non-Kashmiri groups following which the Kashmiri students protested against the university administration. The students, after leaving their hostel in protest, said that they are being branded as Pakistanis.
“Students from other parts of the country are forcing us cheer for India all the time and they often turn violent,” alleged Kashmiri students. Fed-up with the behaviour of other students, Kashmiri students demanded action against them.
On the other hand, the non-Kashmiri students alleged that during the Asia Cup, Kashmiri students had cheered for Pakistan team and shouted anti-India slogans that was just not acceptable. Meanwhile, the university administration said it has initated all possible measures to ensure that such clash does not happen in the future.
“To avoid any untoward situation, we have shifted Kashmiri students to Raw and Residency Hostel from Shiv Shakti Hostel. We will approach police if the circumstances compel. We have also asked two groups to close the matter otherwise disciplinary action will be taken against them,” said V-C Vikram Singh.
Subharti University had expelled 67 Kashmiri students for cheering in support of Pakistan in March. In the same month, a private university in Greater Noida had expelled six students — four of them Kashmiris — from one of its boys’ hostels after a stand-off between two groups over India-Pakistan cricket match.