A cricket match between Pakistan and India is an occasion which is relished by the fans of both countries. Tension is created and emotions run high and the fans of the winning side celebrate crazily. However such a celebration became very costly for a group of Kashmiri students studying in Swami Vivekenand Subharti University in Uttarpradesh.
The university decided to indefinitely suspend 67 students belonging to Kashmir when they celebrated Pakistan’s win and Shouted “Pakistan Zindabad”. The incident occurred at the Madan Dhingra Hostel where the students were viewing the match. According to reports the celebrations of the Kashmiri students were causing anger among the local students who started abusing them and threatened to hurt them.
The Final straw came when after the match they shouted slogans and this caused an eruption among the local sore losers who trashed the rooms of the students while some reported the issue to the management. An inquiry committee heard the issue and instead of punishing the students, who were shouting slogans, decided to suspend all of the Kashmiri’s in the hostel for not giving the names of the culprits.
The university officials also conveniently dismissed the role of the local students and gave out no further punishments. This incident highlights the level of intolerance in India which is a so called free country but where even such a small matter as supporting a sports team is blown out of proportions and taken as a threat. A senior official has ordered an inquiry into the matter by the city magistrate. Let’s hope he wasn’t hurt so badly by Shahid Afridi’s sixes.
Update: The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to withdraw sedition case against these students.
Abdul Saboor
Misbah bhi ap b kush kar lain