Sunny Dua
Noxious circumstances that prevailed in National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar continuously for three days from March 31 to April 2 2016 over India losing cricket match to West Indies (WI) after which both state as well as Central Government came into action; reminds me of a still worst situation that existed for three days from September 14th and 16th in Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College (GNDEC), Bidar (Karnataka) 28 years ago in 1988. Six students of college were killed by frenzied mob, over 100 injured and property worth over 60 lakh was destroyed at that time. Reason in this case was altogether different but nature of disturbances was same.
Like in Srinagar, riot in Bidar at that time too had caught police and local administration off guard in the sense of timing. Situation in Bidar was simmering for the past over two years over allotment of a medical college to the already existing management of Engineering College that had not gone down the throats of local politicians who chose a religious function to target students and then all hell was let loose on September 14 onwards to ensure that students are taught a lesson.
Unlike Srinagar NIT, GND Engineering College students had to pay a heavy price in the form of brutal killings of six students including two brothers from Barabanki. Though late yet situation in Srinagar NIT, however stands brought under control before it’s too late. Thankfully, we didn’t lose any life here but it’s also a fact that confidence of students stand lost at least for now when the situation continues to simmer in Valley which also needs to be addressed immediately.
Demands of students at that time in Bidar too were similar to what NIT engineers are seeking and migration being their prime concern. They also are raising voices for shifting NIT Srinagar to some other place in the country. Safety and security is another concern besides ‘academics’ wherein they apprehend that a prejudice approach of faculty members might land them in the list of failures.
The apprehensions of NIT students is right but how did GND Engineering College students came to terms in 1988 could give them little courage and solace only to pursue their studies, pass come out of NIT only to rule the roost and then pave way for other aspirants to join prestigious institution like NIT, Srinagar without any prejudice or fear of belonging to any religion or region.
In the end it’s going to be ultimately studies and their career and not the speeches and assurances of politicians who presently are either jumping guns or trying to avoid the situation knowingly that their final writ is going to prevail. The sooner the students realise this the better it would be. The administration was caught off guard, police failed, HRD ministry sent a delegation to NIT, now local politicians have started making beelines and most importantly sentiments of students stand taken good care of by the authorities.
When we had escaped Bidar riots similar unrest was prevailing amongst our colleagues. We too were scared to return and had repeatedly urged the then chief minister Farooq Abdullah to arrange for our migration to other colleges in the North. Several independent inquiries were held including a judicial one and reports published but besides fixing couple of guilty and assuring us safety and security nothing much was done. Academically we were assured fairness to the core and nothing less than our career brought us back to the college.
Agreed that situation in Kashmir is far different from what it was in Bidar but this is also a fact that we had lost six students whose parents till date are inconsolable. All what local administration and ministry of HRD can do now is, at least allow injured and first year students to leave for their homes to come out of this trauma and homesickness before starting classes and taking exams. Parents too need their wards to be with them and have firsthand account of what happened to them in Srinagar NIT campus.
So far as migration is concerned that’s not going to happen. No one is going to even shift NIT and no one is going to promote students without taking their tests. The only silver lining visible is that these students have been able to make a point which their superiors had failed in ever since the establishment of NIT Srinagar in 1960. When we left Bidar our books, clothes, articles and cycles were all burnt to ashes. Locals were after our blood us but then after about a month scared students were brought back to hostels.
There were times when students from Kashmir were harassed in other colleges in rest of the country and they suffered as well. However, fact remains that no one migrated them to colleges back home in Kashmir and instead they had to put up a brave heart and pursue their career. The only thing missing in case of NIT issue was a favourable credible voice of those sitting at the helm of affairs.
Now the only way forward is to let students go back to their homes to find some solace and return without fear that for the moment has gripped them. It was in 2008 Amarnath Land row when hundreds of Kashmiri students had to flee Jammu fearing frenzied mobs and way back in 2014 students from Jammu had to sell their watches, laptops and mobile phones for peanuts to escape flood fury.
Students had always suffered nature’s furies and certain wrong political decision or even professional rivalries but this must not cow down NIT students who must keep their spirit live and pursue their studies with more vigour. It is hoped that colleagues of these disturbed students will make a fresh beginning to make them comfortable and keep elements inimical to peace at a bay in days to come only to restore the glory of NIT, Srinagar located amongst Chinars and on the bank of Dal Lake in Hazratbal.
(The author is a GND Engineering College alumni and had survived 1988 riots)
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