Srinagar, Dec 28: The Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Sunday strongly condemned police action against students to thwart the scheduled protest in Srinagar on Sunday for pressing the government to act on the reservation policy.
“These heavy-handed measures were deployed solely to prevent a peaceful protest demanding a fair and equal reservation policy,” JKSA said in a statement. National Convenor of Association, Nasir Khuehami said: “We have always prioritised discussion over discord. However, treating students; the future of this region as adversaries is a grave mistake. These young people are not agitators but informed citizens standing up for their constitutional rights to justice and equality. The government of the day must understand that the grievances raised by the students are not secessionist in nature, nor are they anti-national.”
He emphasised that “these are constitutional grievances, and we expect the authorities to respond to them within a constitutional framework.”
“No office in this country stands above the Constitution, and the students have maintained constitutional methods and approaches throughout their movement. Their demands are rooted in fairness, not in defiance,” he added. .
While the planned sit-in has been cancelled due to administrative restrictions, the government cannot overlook the legitimacy of these concerns, he said. By detaining students, the authorities have inadvertently acknowledged that the reservation policy indeed requires serious review and engagement, he added.
JKSA has urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to “move from containment to conversation, and from intimidation to inclusion.” “We appeal to the government to reconsider its current policies and guidelines regarding student voices and to actively engage with them on matters of public concern,” he added.
It added that, the discussion on the reservation policy must be conducted through genuine dialogue, ensuring that the voices of students are heard, their concerns are acknowledged, and a fair and transparent solution is reached. “It is time to stop criminalising dissent and start listening to the youth, who seek nothing but justice, equity, and adherence to constitutional principles,” he further added