J&K govt asks students to use social media cautiously

Amid ongoing student protests across India against Citizenship Amendment Act and NRC, the Jammu and Kashmir government has cautioned students studying outside the state to use social media 'cautiously' and desist from any activity that could disrupt peace.

"The students are requested to use the social media cautiously and refrain from any such activity which can disturb peace and harmony," a J&K government statement said. "Students are further advised not to pay heed to any of the rumours."

The government has also named officers with their phone numbers for the students for assistance in Bhopal, Jaipur, Delhi-NCR, Meerat, Dehradun, Chandigarh, Aligarh, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderbad.

"All the students studying outside in different colleges and universities are informed to immediately contact the liaison officers nominated by the government of J&K to redress any grievance or to ease out the difficulty or distress," the statement said.

"Students have started contacting us, our centres are active across the country," Secretary to J&K government's Higher Education Talat Parvez told IANS.

"The government is assisting in the return of students to Kashmir," he said. "A group of JNU students is on way from Jammu to Srinagar."

Around 120 students from Aligarh Mulsim University left for Jammu after the university was closed on Monday. The transport was provided by the university.

"The university has been closed indefinitely. We were given a deadline till 8 a.m. on Tuesday for vacating the hostels," said Altaf Ahmad, a student who is pursing PhD in physical education.

"Some students belong to remote areas in Kashmir. We request the administration to arrange for our return to our homes," he added.

Another student Javid Ahmed, pursuing PhD in literature in AMU, requested the administration to arrange for their accommodation in case the Jammu-Srinagar highway is closed due to bad weather.IANS