The National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Srinagar began limping back to normalcy as students started preparations for the examinations starting on Monday. Even as Bollywood actor Anupam Kher arrived at Srinagar Airport with an intention to go to NIT, it did not create a flutter in the campus manned by hundreds of paramilitary troopers. Kher was received by two top police officials at the airport and advised to return to New Delhi.
“Most of the students in NIT were busy in studies on Sunday. Some of them were also playing cricket. The situation remained peaceful,” an NIT official said.
The Minor Exam of the students is beginning Monday but students have been given choice to skip the exams for another opportunity at appropriate time.
The change in atmospherics took place after a sustained campaign by the State Government and officials of the ministry of human resources development camping in Srinagar since last week.
The HRD Ministry officials along-with the Chairman of the Board of Governors of NIT held a series of meetings with agitating outstation students, their local counterparts, officials of the administration and staff. Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh also engaged with the agitating students to ensure a breakthrough. The authorities have ruled out shifting the NIT from Srinagar. They have, however, lifted ban on pass system, allowed free movement of students especially girls to and from their hostels and lifted the bar on seeking permission for religious festivities in the campus.
Meanwhile, Bollywood actor Anupam Kher was asked to return to New Delhi soon after he landed at Srinagar Airport on his way to NIT campus to exhibit “solidarity with the agitating students”.
Deputy Inspector general of Police (central Kashmir range) GH Bhat met the film star at Airport and convinced him to return to New Delhi without coming out of the airport.
“As i return from Srinagar airport, my heart is heavy but i have hope that things will change & become better. I remain an #EternalOptimist,” Kher tweeted later. His picture holding a tricolour inside the VIP room of the airport was circulated through social networking sites. Kher was apparently intending to hand-over the flag to agitating students.
The separatists have called for shutdown on Tuesday to protest against assaults on Kashmiri students in educational institutions outside the kashmir valley in the backdrop of NIT incidents.